Hell's Fire
by Virgin Queen 15
Summary: Hey guys! the second part is called Hell's Fire 2: Persephone's Dreamscape. I'm not geting many readers while the first one seemed to be well liked... hope to hear from you. Love you all!
1. Chapter 1 What no one knew

Chapter 1: What no one knew

The owl was watching from the window pane, its downy feathers soaked in the rain from the sudden storm he'd gotten caught in. He saw the dwarf, sitting on her bed, while she was in her closet, shuffling through her clothes. She was trying to find an outfit for the employee party. The publishing company she'd been working for was small, a town business some old man had started years ago. But it's creative and unique approaches on the works it chose to publish jumpstarted its fame and soon Faeire Books was taking over publishing names all over the states. Sarah Williams had applied for a job as an editor there, and with the help of a rather grammar loving Sir Dydimus her skills excelled and she was chosen for the job. But now, having seldom skills in choosing what was appropriate for an employee party, Sarah was resorting to Hoggle and an over-eager Goblin King for clothing advice.

The King however had been banished to owl form outside the window, after having been a bit grumpy with Hoggle. The initial invitation to Sarah's apartment had gone like this:

"Hoggle! I need you!" Sarah had been standing at her full length mirror, little pale blue robe covering her semi-naked body.

"Yes?" Hoggle didn't hesitate to step through the glass but turned a little rosy at the sight of his rather beautiful human friend in such a flimsy garment.

"I need to pick an outfit for a party." Hoggle immediately groaned. When Sarah couldn't choose what to wear, it was a given that all plans for the night needed to be put on hold because she was as picky with her wardrobe as she was clueless. He sulked and took a seat on her bed. After a few minutes of outfits and moans, Hoggle noticed the pile of letters on the floor near the head of her bed.

"Still writing to the snake?" He said glumly.

Sarah didn't hesitate. "Of course, but it's all very formal, usually he just tells me what those ridiculous goblins are up to."

"Only need one word fer that," Hoggle said. "Mischief."

Sarah turned away so he wouldn't see the little blush and the subtle smile. As much as she knew it annoyed him, she enjoyed writing to the goblin king. She first received a letter the night after her trek in Underground. In it there was little anger or regret for anything he'd done to her, but there was great humor, and a kindness she hadn't recognized when they'd both been playing their roles. In the letter he'd also taken time to introduce himself, though she knew his name, he felt it 'most irregular for two with a troubled but healing friendship to not be on first name terms' as were his words exactly. At fifteen she'd been furious with the letter and in her response she vented out her anger toward him, while at the same time, subtly thanking him for the chance to see the world she'd only ever been able to dream of.

It took a few more letters for her to apologize for anything negative that had passed between them, and even more still for him to break his prideful ego and apologize for bombarding her once she'd reached his castle with so many choices. In the end, they proved very pleasant pen pals, and neither of them wanted to end the fun.

Until that night though, maybe seven years after they'd last seen each other in person, Sarah bulked up the courage to go to her mirror, even with a wary Hoggle complaining on her bed, and smile.

"Goblin King, I need you."

His image appeared in the mirror. To Sarah's blushing delight, he hadn't changed in the least. He looked her up and down and for a moment seemed pleased at her twenty-two year old body. Then of course he had to comment on her robe.

"Well, precious if you need me, would you at least need me clothed? Though I honestly adore the robe."

Sarah rolled her green eyes and explained the situation. Jareth nodded then stepped through the frame and out into her tiny bedroom. Sarah had thought the room was small enough, but with the mountainous presence of the Goblin King the room just couldn't seem able to hold all of them. He moved to her closet and smirked. Then turned to Sarah then back to the closet, then back to Sarah. This time his eyes stayed on her for maybe too long and a grumpy Hoggle sneered at the King.

"It's not her you need to be looking at." He mumbled.

The King spun around and shot Hoggle such a cross glance that made Sarah nervous enough to feel the need to separate them. So she pointed to the window and said firmly. "Jareth, owl form, outside now."

If it hadn't been for how her outstretched arm dragged her robe half off of her breast, exposing some of the lace of her bra and cleavage, Jareth may never have obliged to his precious's command.

So there the three were, the men in the room happily, even if hiding their secret bliss, assisting their little girl. Some where along the way, when it was getting very late Sarah was as ready to give up as she'd once secretly been prepared to meet failure in the oubliette.

The very melancholy owl tapped the window, and knowing there would be no end, she opened it up and let him in again.

Jareth turned back to his original form and crossed his arms. Sarah smiled gently and walked up to stand in front of him. Water dripped down his face, hints of annoyance in his miss-matched eyes. She parted his wet bangs out of his face and used the back of her hand to gently wipe some of the chilly rain drops from around his eyes. Jareth couldn't help but smile at her simple childish philosophy of put a band-aid on and it makes it all better. He took her hand, the grip strong enough to startle her. But with his spare hand he formed a small crystal, with hints of blue and violet in the shine and he placed it in her tiny hand. The orb melted in her palm, and the colors slithered up her arm and under her robe.

Then the silky blue material dropped to the floor, with the help of Jareth tugging it off of her, and in its place there was a beautiful violet-silver dress. It was sleeveless with thin straps, and it reached to almost her knees. She smiled to Jareth and thanked him.

In answer to her smiles, he took her hand and twirled her around slightly. Then with a gentle tug he folded his arms around her waist and leaned her back into a dip. It was no exactly the kind of sideways dip humans were accustomed to; their hips touched, and even their thighs. It was the lower half of their bodies that touched and Sarah was bent backward, the endless waterfall of her dark hair dusting the floor. With Jareth holding her, she didn't feel the ache of leaning back and he swept her back up into his arms.

Hoggle watched with wide wondering eyes, for he had never seen the Goblin King look so strangely happy, so genuinely glad. Only when he held Sarah was the Goblin King this at peace. Soon Sarah had to leave and she kissed Hoggle's cheek.

"Well now," Jareth said. "Don't I get a kiss for helping you?"

Sarah hesitated then decided truth was better then anything else. "I was actually hoping you would come with me…But you wouldn't enjoy a mortal party…" Her words faded off then she shook her head and said not to worry about it.

But before she could regret her words, she leaned up on her toes and kissed his velvet soft cheek. "Bye."

_What a precious child_. He smiled and raised a gloved hand to his cheek where the blood had rushed to the moment her little lips touched it. _Well not such a child anymore._

Hoggle was stiff as a board, unmoving even as Sarah waved goodbye from the car and drove down the city street. Jareth glared down at Hoggle, trying as he could to not seem smug.

"Well, Higgle, it seems I am one of her friends now," He said.

Hoggle mumbled angrily.

"What was that?" Jareth said darkly. And Hoggle for once felt confident enough to answer him with all real honesty. His trust in Sarah's anger if anything Bog-related or otherwise happened to him led him to believe he could say what he wanted to the king. Jareth was, as much as he scorned it, indeed under Sarah's power. _Wrapped around her pretty little finger_, Hoggle thought, having heard Sarah say the line before.

"I was just saying, your majesty, that it seems you have lied to gain the friendship of the only person who can beat you." He said, even if the words came out a bit confused. "And it's _Hoggle_."

Jareth seemed to be somehow thrown inwards at his words, into his own Goblin-monarch mind. By the pensive look in his eyes it seemed to the dwarf the king was considering his words.

When he spoke, Hoggle was shocked by the soft almost loving tone the arrogant Fae used. "I would not lie to her; she's too precious to lie to. She would know," Here he laughed gently. "She would most certainly be able to tell if I were to tell one fabrication." He looked directly into the dwarf's eyes and said. "I can promise you Hoggle, that I have never lied, nor will I in any circumstance to Sarah."

Hoggle gasped quietly, from either the shock of Jareth's honesty, or the fact the king called him by the correct name.

"How could I?" Jareth smiled with his pointy teeth on display. "When she is the woman I love?"

Hoggle showed no change in expression, and then to Jareth's embarrassment, a slow smile crossed over his face. He raised a wrinkled hand to cover his face, but he couldn't hold back the spasms of laughter.

Jareth groaned inwardly. "I had hoped to keep confidence with you, though I am sure Sarah has some vague idea of my true feelings."

He turned and walked to her bedroom. Hoggle followed, giggling in only the way a dwarf could, gasping howls that Jareth found worth the complaint to Precious later, he slapped the dwarf gently on the cheek.

Ignoring his complaints, Jareth began to mull about her little room, opening drawers in her desk and even opening and closing her books 'til he found every letter he'd sent to her in the seven years of their odd friendship. He packed them into a very fat pile. Then he produced a crystal with the twirl of gloved fingers. The crystal melted into neat stack of letters, the paper was blue, an exact match to Sarah's stationary. He handed both piles of papers to Hoggle and said, "Follow the dates from beginning to end; you'll see what is true and what is love." He wandered off, leaving Hoggle with no choice but to read the letters. He leafed through the first very quickly for they were shorter, less feeling, more privy to a set of index cards full of complaints from both of them.

Then, almost suddenly Sarah wrote a letter that spanned the entire length of the page. And it was a very strange letter, where she spoke of a moment that had forever perplexed her while she was in the Labyrinth. He read quietly.

_ Your Majesty,_

_Today, my stepmother Karen set out a plate of freshly cut peaches for Toby and me. I am ashamed to admit that a little part of me wished for that ball in the bubble to return again once I ate a slice of peach. The events of the Labyrinth still haunt me, certain moments I cannot overcome. I would've never accepted defeat back then, but now that I am seventeen and high school is drawing to an abrupt close, I find myself thrown into my dreams again. And a part of me greatly wants to go back and knock myself in the head a few times 'til I am able to convince myself to find a way to stay there. But the stronger part of me keeps me here, where I was born and raised. Sarah Williams, Lady of the Labyrinth, a prisoner in the land of reality. What a pity._

Hoggle stopped reading then skipped the rest of her letter to Jareth's response.

_Sarah__ Precious,_

_My world and your world are not far apart, your friends are there to visit you and if you truly desire it__ I__can be there for you as well__. You may visit your beloved Labyrinth any time you want. Or even the castle if you would ever enjoy a visit. I know the goblins would enjoy teasing you as they did when you were young. __And I of course would enjoy seeing you._

Hoggle stopped there and felt himself growing vaguely sick. The damnable king was right, he loved Sarah. He wouldn't waste such genuine words or so much of his beloved parchments on any mortal. Hoggle found himself rather inclined to keep the secret Sarah entrusted him with many years ago, though he knew it would do the king great joy to tell him, he felt it better to let Sarah admit in her own time her deep feelings for the king.

When he abandoned the letters to find the king, he discovered Jareth with his royal _arsh_ planted on her living room couch, experimenting with the television remote. He seemed to understand how to turn the device on and off, but the _Menu_ key and _channel selection_ seemed to draw only frustrated confusion and a stream of Fae swears.

Then all at once a loud crash drew their attention from the shiny flashing box to the door. An older man came through the door, dragging with him a very ferocious looking eight year old. Jareth recognized Toby immediately, but Hoggle was terribly confused.

"Sarah!" The man hollered, then froze when he caught sight of Hoggle and Jareth. As an adult Sarah's father would be blinded from their true appearances by Jareth's all powerful glamour, so instead of seeing a king in tight pants and a dwarf with a nose the size of his son's head, he saw a blonde well dressed man with rather insane hair that refused to stay bound back in a band, and a short, round man with grey hair. "Who may I ask are you and why are you in my daughter's apartment?"

Before Hoggle could even grunt in anxiety Jareth calmly said, "I am Jareth King, Sarah's pen pal of seven years?"

Mr. William's mouth formed a very round 'o' and then he regarded Hoggle with questioning eyes.

"And this is Mr. Hogan, my uncle," Jareth said and rose from his seat on the couch. "We arrived a few hours ago to visit your daughter. We are on our way to Bedford for a family reunion. We were planning to stay the night here and leave tomorrow morning."

"Where is my daughter?" Sarah's father asked. He'd somewhat smashed Toby behind him so the child wouldn't move to greet the strangers.

"Sarah had to step out for a moment; she needed to pick up some milk from…" In despair Jareth struggled to remember the mortal equivalent for the word market. Though Sarah had explained in one of her letters how many words from the Fae coincided with the words of mortals he wanted to be sure to use the correct words.

"The store." Hoggle finished for him and smiled a toothy grin to Mr. Williams.

The old man seemed satisfied, so he insisted they stay as long as they needed to and that Sarah was a very kind hostess. Jareth happily agreed to this and soon goodbyes were being thrown around and Mr. Williams and Toby left.

Ever befuddled by the television the two of them sat without arguing waiting for Sarah. By the time an hour had passed both had memorized the tunes to Sesame Street, four sitcoms and the yoyo commercial. It was a satisfyingly educational evening for the both of them.

When Sarah reached the party and had settled into a good rhythm of small talk with her co-workers she felt the hum of her mobile phone in her purse. It was her father.

"Sarah, I was just at your apartment, there were two men there. You hadn't told us you met your pen pal," He said before she could even greet him.

A rush of horror drew Sarah's voice from her and she was unable to say anything for a moment. Then some of her past acting skills kicked in. "Oh, Jareth, yes, he is staying at my place." She prayed this was the lie the king had told.

"Yes, he has family in Bedford he is visiting. Maybe you could convince him to stay for a day or so longer?" Her father wanted to meet him that much she could tell, but a little spring of jealousy bloomed in her. She wanted Jareth all to herself, why share what was hers alone?

Blushing at the horrid selfish thoughts, she cleared her throat and said "I'm sure I could convince him to stay for much longer then a day." A little part in her warmed at the thought.

"Well that's great, his uncle too I suppose." He said a quick goodbye and hung up the phone.

_Uncle?_ Sarah snorted at the thought of Uncle Hoggle. She decided to leave the party early with as much grace as she could manage. While leaving she did not notice the pair of copper-red eyes watching her from among the crowd of co-workers. She did not notice these eyes in the shadows in the parking lot, nor as they spied on her as she left her car parked in the street and walked up the path to her home. But all the way she felt their strong gaze on her; however she had felt these odd sensations since…before she could remember. Before the Labyrinth she never had any proof that such things existed, knowing now that they were true, her cautious ways were stronger in the sense she almost always had a little pocket knife in her purse or on her person.

The strange lifetime of Fae stalkers were the only things she kept from Hoggle, Ludo, Dydimus and most certainly Jareth. She knew that if he cared for her as a good friend would then his violent protective nature over what was his would surely persuade him to locking her up. Not that she was his or wanted to be. Maybe.

When she stepped into the house she found Hoggle standing there waiting for her, a sly grin on his face.

"Sarah!" He smiled. "This television is fantastic!"

"Glad you approve," She smiled and dropped her purse to the ground and abandoned her shoes for a pair of green frog slippers.

When she entered the living room she was met with a cocky looking Jareth who grinned darkly and said. "Hello, cookie monster."

Sarah snorted and regarded the T.V. with a critical eye. "Watching PBS Kids? Very good little dear, now does anyone want something to eat?"

Hoggle followed her into the kitchen but Jareth being the monarch that he was remained with his royal ass in the dip of the couch cushion.

"Peaches?" She called and glanced through the hall to where she could see Jareth. His eyes had an odd glow about them, darker then she remembered ever seeing them, with an open knowing hunger. Against all her courage he showed his strangest most frightening look, and she felt herself falter, internally and externally and she dropped the drupe she'd been holding to the floor.

Jareth had felt something he had been containing break free then, a dark thing, a starved lonely creature he had worked for seven years to control so when she asked for him he could be the best for her. And now at her reminder of his dark conniving ways his lusty dark love had sprung free, swallowing whole his childish yearnings for her. After that it was all destruction for him, a battle he was losing. The sight of her made it all the more difficult to control. In his mind were words and praises, begging's and implorations. He would do anything for her, grovel, sing, dance, clean, give her his kingdom and all he had to offer. He wanted to throw himself at her feet and beg for the one chance to hold her in his arms for just a moment. He would do anything to hold her forever. To kiss her…the ecstasy of even that would probably kill him. And anything deeper…sexual even with _his_ Sarah would kill him twice over. Just the thought of her warm body lying next to his was enough to draw a filmy cloud of blind joy over his eyes.

"You Highness, are you alright?" His eyes did not deceive him. His lovely precious was leaning over him, her green eyes wary and oh so sweetly cruel. He'd watched those eyes cry, maybe hundreds of times. But he'd seen those eyes shine, one time in particular when they had blazed like twin stars. The Ballroom had been their moment of first romance, as he liked to recall it. Though he'd been foolish and she had been so young, her eyes had never looked so alive.

"Yes, precious," The endearment made her eyes tighten ever so slightly. "Just dizzy with hunger." Maybe the truest truth he had ever spoken his entire life. He was hungry, but it was not for the fruit she had cut for the dwarf and him. He was hungry for the love and the eternity he was hoping to receive and share with Sarah.

Sarah was stumped. There were no spare bedrooms in her tiny apartment. Only her room with the single bed, the couch and a thirty year old recliner her father had given her. Hoggle oddly couldn't fit on the chair, and it best suited him to camp out on the couch. Jareth was quiet for most of the evening and when the time for bed came around, he volunteered to take the floor, a gesture Sarah found a great deal suspicious. She however made no comment on his sudden humble offer and excused herself from the men to go and take a quick shower and tend to her other mortal needs.

A while later, wearing a very large T-shirt as a nightgown and sagging shorts that barely fit her hips Sarah rejoined her friends to find them already set up for the night. Jareth had snuck into her room in search of some sort of bedding and found a fat quilted blanket that served for his cot. He said he needed no blanket, and Sarah couldn't blame him. Even with the AC her apartment was like a broiling oven at night.

"You aren't going to sleep in your…" She stopped as the King stripped down to nothing but his tight breeches. He even to Sarah's faint delight removed his gloves. Something in her glowed at the sight of his hands, and left her smiling as she said goodnight to each of them and scurried off to her room.

She sat at her mirror, equipped with a brush to comb out the invisible tangles of her long dark hair. Though she was trying very hard not to, her thoughts were a constant drift to Jareth. Try as she might everything reminded her of him. _Come on Sarah, there has to be something that won't make you_ _think of him. Turkey…he would like the taste. Elephants…he would love them for their mass and probably squish misbehaving goblins with them._

"Cupcakes!" She said aloud. Nothing about cupcakes reminded her of him.

"Cupcakes?" His voice sounded behind her.

Her hand turned to syrup and she dropped the brush to the vanity table and turned to the King.

"Ever heard of knocking?" She said angrily and turned away from him. Sadly she forgot she was in front of her little mirror and she could see him plain as day, shirtless, beautiful goblin king. "Damn." She whispered softly then picked up her brush. In her temporary fury she began to violently brush out her hair, but her force resulted in an aching skull and a smirk from Jareth.

"Not like you could do better," She huffed and crossed her arms and sealed her eyes shut in proud scorn.

Then suddenly she felt soft hands, no gloves running through her hair. The brush was tugged out of her hand and she opened her eyes to see Jareth standing behind her, smiling gently as he brushed her hair.

He loved the feeling of her soft long hair. And though he longed to bury his nose in it, to smell Sarah in the mix of her shampoo and sweat, he refrained and remained only brushing and tangling her hair in his fingers. A little sigh escaped her, and the sound thrilled him. It was all too perfect, too sweet. Then Sarah did something he would never forget. She leaned back into him, her head below his heart and breathed deep. Her breath from her nose blew across his stomach, sending hot chills through him.

She then pulled herself back up and smiled. "Thank you." She took a strand of hair and brushed his nose with it.

He laughed, against himself. She did too, but it was a sleepy laugh ad she stretched like a cat. "I'm gonna go to bed now," She said. "If you can't sleep, you're free to watch television or read some books."

She pulled back to covers of her bed and laid down, taking only the sheet to cover herself with. Jareth hesitated, he didn't want to leave, and it felt too right to be here with her. Though it could be_ righter _if he was in the bed with her. But precious wanted him to go and sleep, so he turned to the door.

"Wait!" She called. "Jareth!"

Never before had he heard her use his name. His real name. An explosion of undeniable joy ran through him and he almost felt like dancing. He turned around to look at her. She was leaning up in bed, one arm outstretched for him.

"Could you tell me a story?" She gave him a lopsided smile.

He smiled and walked to sit on her chair by the vanity. She tucked the sheet under her chin and waited her emerald eyes shiny.

"Once upon a time there was a beautiful young girl whose step-mother always made her stay home with the baby," He said and grinned, his pointy teeth on display. "And the baby was a spoiled child and wanted everything for himself and the young girl was practically a slave." The next line was a frightening one. It summed up everything he felt for her and what he had done. No one knew, no one, but her. "But what no one knew was that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl, and he had given her certain powers." He stopped there to see her reaction. But Sarah's eyes gave no emotion; they were misty, lost and very far away. She blinked.

"Is that true?" She asked quietly.

He didn't know what to say. So he just gave a little nod and looked at the ground. To Sarah it was very unlike Jareth to be shy, but she understood how shy anyone would be when admitting true feelings. She smiled, and reached from her bed toward him.

He saw her invitation and kneeled beside her bed and took her hand in his. "Sarah." He said her name like a prayer and buried his face in her splayed hair. She used her spare hand to cup his chin and move his face up so they were at the same level.

She stared into his mismatched eyes; in them she could see so much, wisdom, love, even arrogance and darkness. But that was why she loved him, because he was a perfect twisted combination of all things simple and complex. She moved back 'til her back hit the wall, leaving just enough room for him to climb in beside her.

Their foreheads touched, their arms tangled around each other. They didn't need to speak, so they just let themselves fall asleep in each other's arms. Sarah had never felt more at home before, Jareth had never felt so close to death from too much bliss.


	2. Chapter 2 It's not fair!

Chapter 2: It's not fair!

When Jareth awoke, sometime around ten he found the bed empty. Before his heart could fall his ears caught the sound of Sarah singing from another room. He followed the sound to the kitchen where Hoggle was sitting, munching on what looked like almost burnt bread, and Sarah stood at the counter making batter of some sort, singing.

"As the pain sweeps through, makes no sense for you, every thrill has gone, wasn't too much fun at all," She paused to pour the batter out on a pan.

Jareth smiled and finished for her. "But I'll be there for you, as the world falls down."

Sarah jumped and almost dropped the bowl then smiled at Jareth, her cheeks pink. "Good morning," She said. "Would you like some breakfast?"

He sat down at the table next to the dwarf and said. "That would be lovely precious."

In a few minutes she laid a platter of pancakes down on the table for them.

"What are these?" Hoggle mumbled quietly.

Jareth eyed the pancakes then shrugged to Hoggle. While Sarah was laughing at their reaction a sudden noise made them all jump. Her phone was ringing.

"Excuse me a moment," She said then rushed to the phone on the wall and snatched it to hold to her ear. Curious, Jareth and Hoggle went to stand by her, Jareth being brave enough to wrap his arms around her waist and lay his ear on the side of the phone. To his sudden surprise he could hear the voice of her step-mother.

Wide-eyed he listened.

"Sarah dear, your father told me your pen pal was visiting, we would love to come and meet him!" Karen's voice made Jareth nauseated. "You always said he was a very great man. How old is he anyway?"

"God, Karen he's only a little older then I am! But I'm not sure if it's such a good idea for you to meet him, he's only here for a little while." Sarah said. "And he's shy." She lied.

Jareth had to fight not to laugh. It was not very easy, so he buried his face in her neck. This was a very powerful distraction for Sarah.

"Oh, come on Sarah, you met him when you were a child and he was a man, but don't worry love, no need to tell your father how old he really is. But at least let us meet him! From what we've read from the letters you left out you two are pretty close."

"You read my letters?" Sarah squeaked.

"Only a few, just so we could make sure what you were saying was clean."Karen laughed. "You two seemed to have quite fun imaginations. I suppose all the Labyrinth stuff was a game?"

It wasn't really a question but Sarah forced herself to laugh and say "Of course."

"Well, please let us meet him!" She begged. Sarah looked at Hoggle and finally gave up.

"Fine, fine," She sighed. "When can you come over?"

"Today?" Karen asked. "And can we bring Toby too?"

"Um..Sure, to both today and Toby." She said. She said her goodbyes and hung up the phone.

"Alright boys, glamour's on, we got humans coming."

"It's not fair!" Sarah drifted out of her bedroom. She was dressed now, jeans and a loose fitting blouse Jareth had picked for her.

"What's not?" Hoggle asked. He was sitting on the couch wearing his glamour. In a human guise she found Hoggle almost difficult to talk to. The only similarity the dwarf shared with his human alternative was his blue eyes.

"My parents, I cannot believe they would read my letters. And now all they want to do is butt in and meet Jareth." She huffed, then blushed and smiled. "Oh listen to me, I sound like a spoiled teenager! It may not be fair, but that's the way it is."

Hoggle smiled, and then frowned as Jareth arrived from the kitchen. The Goblin King was wearing a pair of jeans and a black shirt. His hair was pulled back as much as he could force it. Sarah smiled and gathered her guests into the living room.

"Alright we need some sort of plan, what we're gonna say about you, who you are, where you're going." She smiled again. "And how we met. I don't think my parents can handle the Labyrinth just yet."

"I am Jareth King; this is my uncle Richard Hogan." He referred to Hoggle. "I met you seven years ago when…"

"When you delivered a pizza at my house the night I was baby-sitting Toby." Sarah said. "After that I bumped into you a few times around town and we became friends. Then because of your uncle's job you had to move a few states away to Oregon. We stayed friends and wrote letters and blah blah blah. Then you were going to visit your relatives…"

"In Bedford." Hoggle said.

Sarah nodded. "And you decided to stop by and visit me along the way."

Jareth nodded and formed a crystal in his hands. "They should be here soon."

"Joy," Sarah sat down on the recliner and waited her stomach knotted in a nervous ball.

Outside, under the glare of the mid-morning sun, an orange cat sat on the steps of her apartment. It was keeping a wary red eye on the door. But no one was coming out. It turned and glanced across the street to share an angry stare with a black crow. The bird flew over the street and landed at the window pane. From the perch it could see into the living room of Sarah Williams. It was angered to see the Goblin King sitting with another unimportant immortal creature in her living room. What business did that fool have with her? He wasn't even the high king, though he may be next heir to the throne, he was still insignificant. Why was he with Sarah?

The cat leapt up from the ground and joined the crow. It spoke quietly, in a whispering accented tongue. "He fancies her, they shared a bed."

"Unmarried?" The crow's voice was very low and very cold.

"From what I could see they did nothing but sleep." The cat purred.

The crow cawed in relief, his jealousy for the while subsided.

"King Irvus, what shall we do?"

"What we have been planning, she is almost in her perfect prime, and then we shall take her." The Crow King said.

The bird flew off and the cat moved from its place on the sill and landed in the front bush where he settled and slept.

At his castle the Dark King transformed to his true form and slid into his throne. It was made of the carved bones of mortals, and the cushion bound in sewed skin. The present slave at his side was a small girl, hardly into her youth. She was fair-haired and tan, with dull white irises. He slung an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. She would serve as a good slave for the while, at least until he had his Queen at his side.

He could remember when he first saw her, a mere infant in the arms of her father. Williams had been sitting on the porch with his baby girl, his wife at the time and Sarah's mother, Linda was standing and reciting Shakespeare to her daughter.

"Love is not love," She smiled at her baby. "Which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove. Oh no it is an ever fixed mark, which looks on tempests and is never shaken." She scooped her baby up in her arms and kissed the girl's round nose. The baby giggled, and Irvus felt his heart tremble at the sight of the giggling child. She was a beautiful baby, with huge eyes like pale jewels that twinkled when she smiled, and the shadow of dark hair on her head. She was like a porcelain doll, thin and rosy and pure delight.

The Dark King chose her at a young age to be his Queen, uncaring of any other destiny that was written for her, he went to the Devil.

He entered its gates and took the high road over the burning fields of souls and whistled along to the sounds of screams. Then he passed over the ocean of silence where wave upon wave of mortals psyche's were swept and slammed against the sharp rocks. Soon he found himself at the palace of the Devil. Its towers were made of skulls, bound together by cement made of blood and muscle. Crying souls dragged themselves across the floors there, grabbing onto his cloak as he passed them, their nails running thin tears in the material.

There in the shadow of Hell, he found Satan curled in a corner near his queen's throne, serpent skin and golden eyes bright, horns pointed. With demons nipping at Irvus's ankles and the Queen of Hell, Persephone, watching him with her stone grey eyes like he was some sort of meal to be devoured Irvus spoke bravely.

"I have chosen my bride," He said. "A mortal who already has been gifted with a Fae destiny."

"Then take her, if her destiny is set for your world," The Devil said.

"Not just our world, but a Fae man." Irvus admitted.

"Soul-mates," the Queen smiled, revealing a set of long thin sharp teeth. "Such fun to meddle with."

"Yes, but you must remember my follower," The Devil looked to Irvus. "If their bond is already great then there will be no breaking the two."

"Only Death can break the soul-mates," A hushed whisper made them all turn to a dark shadow which lurked near the fountain of blood in the throne room. Death herself, the daughter of the Devil and a mortal teenager from the time of the cave dwellers appeared from the shadows. To Irvus she seemed to move like a shadow herself, graceful and lucid, swooping and elegant. She wore a black cloak, perhaps the only thing not blood colored in the room. It was the same black as the Ice River, which could be seen in that fire lit valley from the large windows.

The Devil gave an oddly gentle look to his daughter. Satan himself could posses no love, only lust, but he shared a distanced comradeship with his daughter who daily brought souls to him. However he had to feel a hatred for her because she had been in Heaven's Light almost as much as Hell's Darkness. And she had preferred Heaven of the two.

The Queen frowned at her. "But you must remember Morta, that Fae are immortal and do not live in Heaven or Hell even if you find their souls."

It was true; the Fae lived in another Death Land, separate from the humans two eternities. But they only ever died of two things: extreme injury and the love illness. Both of which were rare and sometimes curable.

"It is still an option." Death's face could not be seen, but her irritation could be greatly sensed.

Irvus spoke. "I cannot kill her soul-mate; he is heir to the High Throne. His powers are far greater then mine and any who is suspected for murdering the heir would be tortured to death themselves."

"But who would suspect you?" The Queen asked with a very nasty innocence.

"I must excuse myself now," Irvus said. "I am sure the ideas you have expressed will give much assistance. I do believe I know what I will do now."

"Don't wait so long until your next visit my boy," The Devil said. "We miss our little dear."

"Yes, Irvy," His Queen mother smiled darkly. "I miss you my son."

"Till next time, my parents," Irvus said and turned to leave.

"Be sure to bring little Sarah around for us to meet!" His mother called behind him.

_Oh, yes_, He thought darkly_, soon_ _I shall have her melting in my arms, very soon_.

Karen didn't like the look of the orange cat on Sarah's porch steps. She had Toby's little fist in hers, her husband beside her. She had just met Sarah's little friend Jareth King and his uncle Richard. They were leaving, she was still feeling jubilant and light, but then her eyes met those of the strange cat and her spirits cowered away. It was frightening how the creature wore a look of utter judging concentration, the look you may see on a plotting murderer. Karen wanted to shoo the thing, but it darted out of their way as they went down the steps and soon it was nothing but a very depressing memory.

"Well that was a relief," Sarah collapsed on the couch next to Jareth, and sighed deeply, catching a whiff of his exotic spicy scent on the air.

Hoggle looked distant, vey far away and he grunted in response to Sarah's relief. Then he stood and said quite firmly, in a language she did not understand. "Seeps erse nockta elffa meese, cu thome ress quoozum." He was addressing the King.

"Nep ire dow sha'l ray thome thoosum shooja, Hoggle." Jareth answered.

Hoggle sighed angrily, a huff of a breath that was greatly forced. "Sha'l sot'ness pos quoozum."

Jareth frowned and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "She'l sot pos quoozum, Hoggle, she'l erra keera."

"She'l erra amara." Hoggle said softly. Then he gave a sort of sad smile. "Erra mincha she'l, sherra geet cha erra."

Jareth didn't answer him, he only sighed then said. "If it is your wish. Then ask Sarah."

"Ask Sarah what?" Sarah's head was spinning from all the Fae talk and she greatly wanted to know what had been said. But somehow she knew that it was meant for their ears alone. So instead of inquiring furiously about what had passed between them in their odd tongue she merely questioned what must be asked of her.

Hoggle said, "I have some business I am in need of taking care off and was hoping you would not be insulted if I left early."

"Oh, not at all dear," Sarah said. The endearment made Hoggle turn a little red and Jareth a little green with envy. "When would you be going?"

"Well…right now would suit me best." He answered.

"I'll walk you to the mirror." She said and together the two friends made their way to her bedroom.

Once there Sarah asked. "You are not leaving because of Jareth are you?"

Hoggle hesitated then said. "To be honest Sarah, I 'em. I sees the way you look at eachs other and I want to give you two a chance to try."

Touched Sarah felt inclined to lean down and wrap her arms around Hoggle's neck. "Thank you Hoggle, you really are the best friend I've ever had."

"Don't let him do nothing dirty." He said then disengaged himself from her hold and stepped into the mirror. In a flash he was gone and the glass only bore Sarah's reflection.

_Now only one thing left_, Sarah thought. _What on earth will I do with the Goblin King locked up in my house with me? _She laughed as she went back into the living room, though it was a nervous sound. Really what should she do?

The next day the sun was bright and clear. Jareth had slept on the couch that night, giving Precious her distance. He didn't hear her leave in the morning, though he thought he felt in his dreams her soft lips on his forehead and the sound of a whispered goodbye. He found a note on the kitchen table that read:

Gone to work, will be back when the clock strikes noon. Food left in the fridge, the big white cold box in the kitchen and television and books are free for you to browse. Please be there when I come home.

~Sarah

Of course he would be there when she got home, though a quick trip to his castle would prove most worth the trunk of clothes and personal belongings that he would need. He was there and back before the clock pointed to the number ten. After that it was only a matter of how long he would wait before appearing to her at work in a cloud of glitter. He fought to restrain the urge.

Some hour before Sarah would be home Jareth went exploring in her room. There he found many traces of her youth, things that reminded her of the Labyrinth, books of all sorts, a particular red one that seemed to never be moved from her bedside table, and then he found a leather bound diary. He fought the urge to peel it open instantly and read every last word. But he lost and very soon found himself reading frantically about Sarah's ever day life.

The diary was started a few months before they met. Each day there was a brief entry, until one day, the day right before the Labyrinth journey the entry was strange, in a mystical sort of way. It read:

I have wondered and dreamed of many things, and to step into a magical world unlike my own would be a gift. I sometimes wish someone could bring me that gift, a handsome prince maybe, ha. I would take it at any price for anything. I would give up everything to be in those worlds I see in my dreams. That damn crow is outside again, I swear the beast can see me, is watching me. But maybe I'm just imagining things again. I always feel like somebody can see me. But this bird has been showing up every where lately. Oh, there Merlin scared him away, all better.

But like I was saying, dream worlds, I see iridescent skies and grand mazes and shining deserts. I even dream of a king, a lonely king, sitting at his throne all day watching the world in the palm of his hand, holding it, loving it but never being a part of it. Like he is caged but his title. Sometimes I even dream of kissing him. Holding the lonely king in my arms, whispering to him that everything will be alright. These are the dreams I rush to bed to have. I wonder if I will hold him again tonight, or maybe dance in a roomful of chickens again, which I still cannot determine if that is a dram or a nightmare.

*Sarah*

Jareth felt a tremor crescendo within him and it echoed and rumbled and exploded from him in the form of a thousand tiny specks of shiny crystal stars. She had dreamed of him, just as he had dreamed of her for eight hundred years.

The joy weakened his body, it sent wave upon wave of aching unforgiving joy through him and he laid back on her pillows enjoying all of it.

"How you've turned my world you precious thing." He whispered and let his eyes roll back into his head as his thoughts circled around her.

Sarah came into the house to find Jareth waiting for her.

"Hello cookie monster," He greeted her.

It was funny how only Jareth in his ordinary obnoxious fae clothing was comforting. His glamour of humanity had disturbed her beyond measure and she adored the sight of him, slightly dusted in glitter, all frilled and fancy in his trousers, too tight to be innocent, and his vest and poet shirt. She was very happy to see his gloves were no where in sight. The vest he wore that day was black, a striking contrast to his grey tights and white as ghost-flesh shirt.

"Hello, did you have a good morning?" She asked. She kicked off her shoes near the door and dropped her bag.

"Yes," He said. "How was work?"

"As stimulating as a foot ball game to a blonde." She said. Though he made no attempt to understand he smiled warmly and said. "Very good."

This made her laugh and she nudged the king with her shoulder playfully. "Hungry?" She asked.

Jareth nodded. His eyes seemed only to see her and her alone. He followed her about the kitchen, laughing as she explained about work and the dullness of it all. The growing lovers didn't notice a quivering black crow watching them from the kitchen window over the sink.

"Here you've almost got it, precious." Jareth formed another crystal and handed it to Sarah. He was teaching her how to slide the crystal over her fingers. Her hand was small and her fingers thin and light, making the movements easier for her. But still she fumbled occasionally under the weight of the orb, and the crystal would slip and roll from her fingers onto the carpet. They were leaning against the couch, facing each other. Around them lay half a dozen or so abandoned crystals.

Sarah took the new crystal and began to swing it gently over her fingers, down her palm then back up and over the other side. She smiled and looked at a beaming Jareth, being thus distracted made her drop this one again. She picked it up and handed it to him. "Show me again," She said. "I like to see you do it."

She drew her knees up under her and put her chin on their peak. Jareth smiled slightly, that cocky grin that made her heart flutter like a little bird. He began to twirl the crystal over his fingers, round and round.

Sarah scooped the ice cream out of the cardboard tube and dumped it into the bowl. Strawberry ice-cream was not her favorite, it had been something Karen had brought over one day when the family had had a little dinner party. Now, Sarah was hungry, nothing healthy would sway her sweet tooth to silence today. Once she had gathered her ice cream and fetched a spoon she went into the living room and sat down on the couch. Jareth was sitting on the recliner chair, reading quietly, something he only did when he had troubled thoughts. Sarah recognized the habit a few days earlier. During the week he had been there he had only read twice, both times he had been in quiet repose for hours previous.

Jareth was internally battling with himself. Sara had accepted him into her life, there were no hard feelings for what either had done and their relationship was free to blossom. Then why did he feel like something very bad was going to happen? Each night once Sarah had drifted to sleep in his arms, those terrible feelings would arise again, and he would clutch her just a bit tighter, like his arms around her could block the horrors of what his senses were warning him from.

At first he considered if it was Sarah's magic that was causing him to shrink inward in fear, but it couldn't have been. Her magic that he had sensed deep inside her for many years was locked, firmly, to be let out only when she needed it. And it was a beautiful magic, that much he could sense without needing to wonder. He decided to let her discover it for herself in her own time.

Besides what he was feeling was much stronger then that, much darker and deadlier. He had the icy feeling that no matter what he would do, whatever happened would be out of his control to prevent.

He noticed Sarah watching him with concerned eyes. "Something wrong, precious?" He asked, feigning his ignorance.

"No," Sarah said. "I'm just worried about you, you don't seem very well."

He smiled, but a wink of sadness flickered in his eyes before he could stop it. Even with his troubled premonitions, he also had the complication of being unable to react properly to Sarah's kindness. He'd spent such a long lonely time as the king of the goblins, that he had almost forgotten what it felt like to have someone genuinely worry about you. Not just worry because you were the king, but worry because they cared for you. He loved Sarah, that he knew for certain. Even now he loved the grungy T-shirt she was wearing and the ancient plaid shorts. He love her long hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. He loved the little mole on her left earlobe. He just was unsure of ways to make her see that. He had thought in the Labyrinth that being her slave would be the way to do it. Doing everything for her, at the simple price of being feared and loved. But now, he did not want her to fear him, love him yes, but he didn't have the heart to try and tame her. He did not after all have any power over her.

He had to work to be kind, needed to focus and try, he had been out of practice surrounded by frantic prankster goblins for years. Now though, with the sweet Sarah as his aid, he found the kindness that had laced his distant personality for many days of his life. It had bloomed from the moment their feelings were shared and the mutual regard was beginning to transform into that sweet distant thing he had tasted in his deepest of dreams. He knew that taste, but barely, from the dreams of a slender dark haired child-bride. He had watched Sarah as she slept on the couch after a long day of work, curled up like an exhausted kitten that had no energy to even pull herself to bed. He had watched her from his crystals for many years of her life.

"I want you to feel alright," She insisted, secretly hoping those words would put his mysterious heart at ease. She finished off her ice cream and licked her lips. "Want to go to bed?"

_Lord did he ever!_ "Sure, precious." He said.

Very soon they were in bed, Sarah with her head on his chest, facing the ceiling while he played with her hair. He enjoyed fondling with the silky strands, running them under his nose and memorizing the scent.

"Jareth?" She whispered. He had thought she had fallen asleep hours ago.

"Hmnn?" He grunted, very near sleep himself.

"I just want you to know how much I really do care and worry for you," She said. "And I want you to be able to tell me if something is bothering you."

She sensed his internal distress, of course she did. But he was still so unsure of those creeping troubled feelings that were haunting him. He felt something strange, just over his left nipple. Then he realized with a fiery joy that Sarah had kissed his chest, softly, very softly but still not so delicate as to deprive the feeling of her lips on his skin. He did not sleep the whole rest of the night, for fear of waking to find this new and beautiful life a broken dream.

Author's note: The Shakespeare being read is my favorite few lines of his work, most of the poetry you'll see in my stories is my own but if not I'll be sure to mention it's source. Hope you enjoyed reading, excuse my earlier technology blunders and bless you Notwritten for spotting my mistake and being so nice about it…truly if it were me I would've laughed my heart out at the idiot who uploaded the same chapter twice and called them a nitwit. If you did cool you're like me. The next chapter will be up…few minutes to tomorrow morning I suppose.


	3. Chapter 3 I've brought you a gift

Chapter 3: I've brought you a gift

It was in the bathroom one night, Jareth was leaning against the door frame, watching as Sarah washed her face, combed out her newly showered hair and brushed her teeth.

He said, "What do mortals do when they love someone?"

Sarah laughed, though her cheeks went rosy. Jareth found he liked her blush very much. "Well, they go out on dates, get to know each other, then if the relationship is stable enough they will live together, a sort of test to see if they could live a lifetime together." Sarah smiled. "What do they do in Underground?"

Jareth frowned a little. A seriousness came over him; Sarah hadn't seen him like this since the Labyrinth, cold and a little distant. "Since most marriages are arranged, it is all very formal courting. Like you said when they live together, courting is a test to see how well they can cooperate together once married."

Sarah's smile dropped. "Arranged?"

"Only most," Jareth answered quickly. "There is no rule that says one cannot choose who they wish to wed, but a Fae can only love once, and usually those the Fae loves are lost to them."

"Only…once." Sarah echoed. "Can the Fae…can they only marry the Fae?"

"Most of the time, Fae steal mortals to wed, and Fae children even born from a mortal mother or conceived by a mortal father are born one hundred percent Fae." Jareth said. "My mother and father were Fae though my mother had been born a mortal."

"So mortals can be turned to Fae?" Sarah asked.

He nodded. For a while both were silent, Sarah's thoughts buzzing. In truth she didn't give a damn about the Fae or their laws. She just cared about Jareth, and deeply wanted to be with him, Fae or otherwise. This bulked up her courage.

"Jareth?"

"Yes?" He was a little alarmed by her new tone.

"I love you." She whispered. "I have only ever loved you, but I am afraid for what I had done to you, I feel the upmost regret for denying you and hurting you." She was chewing her lip, avoiding his eye. He didn't like that.

"Sarah." He said sternly. "Look at me."

Hesitantly her eyes moved to his face, and he breathed in deep, as if to gather those aching words from the very bottom of his lonely heart.

"You are the only one I will ever care for." He said, the words an explosion in his mouth. "I move the stars for no one but you. My cruelest nature did not dare expose itself to you, I tried to be generous in the only way I could, but I lied and cheated, tried to coax you into a quicker love. I did everything I could because I wanted to keep you there. Not just Underground, but the Ballroom. Where I thought I could win you. I had dreamed of you, wished for you. Saw you from time to time, knew it was you I was destined to love. I'd never been more happy then the night you wished Toby away, because I got to see you, speak to you and…" he stopped for a moment, not because he did not mean what he said, rather because tears were starting to fall down Sarah's cheeks. He took hold of her and cradled her in his arms, savoring the feel of her body against his. "What I mean by all that my precious, is that I love you."

To his terror Sarah broke down into sobs which shook her body violently. Sarah pulled away and wiped her face with the sleeve of her shirt. Then a smile crept across her face and she began to laugh. Sarah's eyes were bright as stars, her cheeks warm with her embarrassment. But her heart was thundering happily. He loved her back! He really loved her back! His hand grasped hers and she looked up at him. His deep eyes were glowing. He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her waist, their bodies closer then they had ever been. They clung to each other and Jareth sighed, a release of air he felt he'd been holding for centuries. Sarah pulled herself out of the embrace and cupped his face in her hands. He smiled slightly and felt that bliss he'd felt briefly before run through him again.

"Jareth, kiss me." She said.

"I am your slave, precious." He said and leaned in to lay his lips gently on hers.

At first the kiss was soft and gentle, but as each of them felt their bodies tingle in delight it soon became much deeper. Jareth forced her lips apart and their tongues met hers shy and his demanding. In the tangle and battle they shared Jareth pushed Sarah down under him so she was stretched out on the floor. It was pure bliss.

The dark thing deep inside of him stirred and very soon he groaned. Sarah wound her arms around his neck tighter and would not let him go. But he wriggled free to kiss her face, her cheeks her nose her jaw and then down her neck. She moved her hands to his loose vest and folded away the material of his shirt so she could caress the muscle of his chest.

Jareth sighed at her touch, savoring the feel of her hands on him. It was sweeter then any of his dreams. He wanted her in his arms forever and this moment; this kiss was the seal of forever. He would never let her go again.

Around them Jareth had accidently conjured a thousand twinkling orbs, a reaction to his happiness. Sarah laughed softly when she saw them, and Jareth turned to look at what he had done.

"What's the human word…Oops?" He said and smiled. He flicked his hand gently and they fell to the ground and smashed into a thousand sparkle of glitter which dissolved into the floor.

"You funny king." She said and played with a strand of his hair.

"_Your_ funny king." He said.

"Such a pity…" She smiled devilishly. Jareth kissed her nose and she giggled.

"So, I want to ask you out on a date, how would I do that?" He asked. Had he been in Underground he would've asked for her hand in marriage right there, but he was in her world so he wanted to follow her tradition.

"Well you sort of just did," Sarah laughed. "But where would we go?"

"Well, Underground maybe?"He asked. "I could take you to the Goblin Fair, or the River of Dreams and Slumber," He was getting excited; Sarah could see the glimmer in his eyes.

"I like the sound of that," She said. "It's a date."

Hoggle heard her call and arrived at her mirror. She was once again wearing her robe, this time though her hair was soaked and dripping all around her.

"Hoggle! I need help, I have a date tonight." She said.

"Oh no I ain't picking out nothing for you to wear." Hoggle said.

"No, no, I want to give a gift to Jareth but I'm not sure what to get him. I have an hour before my date and he's gone exploring some stores for clothes and I was wondering if you could take me to the Goblin Market so I could find him something?" It all came out in a rush, while she fumbled about her bedroom looking for her brush. When she found it she began to comb out her hair in a flurry, sending water droplets every which way.

"Well, sure." Hoggle said. "I gots jewels to barter with, but you may want to put some clothes on first." She dashed into her closet before he finished his sentence and came out with a T-shirt and blue jeans on. Her hair was twisted back into a bun, so when it dried it would be neat and waved nicely.

She followed Hoggle through the mirror into Underground, unaware of the crow at her open window watching as she vanished.

The Goblin Market was unlike anything she had seen before. Banners hung from the roof tops, declaring the names of sales or businesses. She was bombarded by every which smell, from the familiar scent of unwashed goblin to the sting of cinnamon rolls. Colors were awash every stone and pebble, the lanterns glowed with rainbow flames. She followed Hoggle through the mingling crowds and stopped when he paused near a blue tent.

Inside were little iron shelves, each decorated with a dozen of tiny trinkets. On a stool near the back of the tent sat a withered goblin, hidden under the shadow of a drooping hat. When Sarah and Hoggle appeared the goblin raised her face to expose a wrinkle-worn smile, a stout nose and huge violet eyes. For a goblin she was extraordinarily beautiful, but all goblins had a beauty unique to them, Sarah felt this goblin's beauty was not born from her strangeness but rather her heart which could be seen sparkling in her youthful eyes.

"Well dears, what are ye looking fer?" She said.

"We're looking for a gift," Hoggle said. "For her sweetheart."

Blushing, Sarah let her eyes wander around the tent, searching for anything that would please her king. Then she found it. It was sitting in the cradle of a carved dragon's claw, flickering in the lantern light. It was the color of violet-blood, dark yet enchanting, she found she was unable to draw her eyes from it.

"Hoggle," She whispered. "Look."

The dwarf saw what she wanted and a smile ran across his face. "We'll take this crystal," He said to the sales-goblin.

It was a match to the crystal's Jareth conjured with his magic, only this one was so richly colored it made Sarah think of his heart, or at least how she imagined it would look. All stone and shinning with warmth and unfathomable color. She just prayed that he liked it.

Hoggle had it wrapped up in a velvet sack for her, the color of lilacs and it was tied with a silver cord. He traded two of his larger jewels for it, which Sarah complained about on the way home. She insisted she pay him back, but he thought the exchange equal enough for he had cost her the ring she paid for false advice in the Labyrinth, while one of his small jewels would have done just as well.

After saying goodbye to Hoggle, Sarah quickly hurried to change into the green dress she'd planned to wear for their date. It was thin strapped, reaching to just brush her knees and the low collar was decorated with an embroidery design in white lace that resembled the outstretched wings of a butterfly in flight. Its overall color was mint green.

After letting loose her waved hair she went to wait on the living room couch for Jareth.

The few clothes Jareth had found he liked were fancy, dark leathered bits. He much preferred to wear his own leather ensemble, which he had worn while tracking Sarah around the Escher room. Thus dressed, he once more unfolded the gift he had for her from its silk wrap. He looked down at the pendant, one that matched his own, though it was made of more silver then gold and many sizes smaller to adorn her delicate throat. Smiling contently he folded it up again gently and slid it into the pocket hidden near his heart.

He dissolved into the air and reappeared in her apartment in a cloud of glitter. He saw around him the living room furniture. Turning around at the sound of a gentle cough he saw Sarah, doused heavily in most of the glitter he'd arrived in.

"Could you at least appear a few spaces away, or soon I will be walking around with glitter in my hair everywhere I go." She smiled and said. "Hello."

"Hello my dear." He smiled and sat down on the couch beside her, helping in the process of dusting glitter off of her.

"Where are we going?" She asked brightly.

Smiling darkly Jareth pulled her legs up to drape over his lap, running his fingers along her lean limbs. "First, I've brought you a gift."

Sarah raised an eyebrow then burst out laughing. For a moment Jareth was a little confused as to why precious was laughing so. Then it came to him, seven years ago he'd said those same words before she went to rescue her brother. But that had been a different sort of gift, one that had been in her possession for many years now.

"Jareth, before your gift," Sarah leaned over to pick up a little sack from the small table. "I have a gift as well, but this is not a gift for an ordinary king who follows around spoiled girls. Do you want it?" She grinned, a sort of mocking expression of the look he'd given her so many times. He found the look absolutely darling.

"Yes, but what pray tell is your price?" He asked and ran tickling fingers up her leg.

"No price," She giggled. "Just you."

"Then I will take your gift." She handed it to him and he undid the string and reached inside the bag. What he saw when he removed his hand was enough to make his newly thawed heart flame up. It was a faultless crystal, one he could never conjure on his own so perfectly. His love had stunned him with her gift and he twirled the crystal on his fingers before tucking it away in that secret pocket near his heart. "Now for yours, I want you to shut your eyes."

Sarah obliged without question and he took out her pendant and wrapped it around her neck. With a gentle toss he fluffed away her hair and dragged the cord down so the pendant hung suspended just over her breasts.

He would never forget the look of pure joy she gave him when she opened her eyes and saw the necklace, how her eyes sparkled just so.

"It's perfect." She said. "Jareth, I love you."

"Let's go," He said. "I have another surprise for you."

Eager to see what her next surprise was Sarah nodded, but then to her very frustrated anger the doorbell rang. "Of all the fraggin' aardvarks!"

Jareth burst out laughing at the goblin swear as Sarah jumped up from the couch to answer the door.

"Karen!" She sighed exasperated at the sight of her step-mother.

"Hi Sarah, I just came to…are you going out on a date?" Karen smiled and tried to peek around Sarah.

"Um, yes, can you please go now?" She said.

"Who is he?" Karen still fought to see behind Sarah. "Is it that Jareth? I knew you two would get together!"

Sarah felt arms wrap lovingly around her waist and Jareth leaned his chin on her shoulder. "Hello, Mrs. Williams," He said, his voice was like velvet. "How are you today?"

Karen seemed a little flushed, and then smiled politely. "Just fine thank you, where are you two planning to go?"

"Maybe Burger King," Sarah joked. Karen laughed. Jareth chuckled very confused. _What was a_ _burger?_

"Well, we should probably get going," Jareth said. "If we want to make sure we don't get in too late."

"Of course, I'm so sorry," Karen couldn't seem to make herself stop smiling. "I'll just come by some other day."

"Sure, bye Karen." Sarah said.

"Goodbye, Mrs. Williams." Jareth said.

She turned and left and Sarah shut the door behind her.

"Let's go." She said. "Before someone else comes to interrupt and spy."

His hold on her waist tightened and a shower of glitter fell over them. When the clouds subsided and Sara could see again she found herself surrounded by crowds of masked dancers.

"Oh!" She gasped and put her hands over her mouth. It was the ballroom where she had fallen in love with Jareth. The dancers were there, the decorations, everything. She moved to take a step but was slightly weighted down by the white skirt. Looking down she saw the gown she had worn the first time in the Labyrinth. Only it was suited to her age, the collar was lower then it had been before, the puffy sleeves gone, in their place cobweb-like strands of twinkling string which hung in looped threads. Her hair she found was once again pulled up and curled, with the silver ornaments entwined in the strands. She smiled, though a little irritated when she turned to find Jareth had vanished.

His voice could be heard though, singing the same love song from before. She knew where he was, knew he wanted her to search for him, but instead she had a much better plan. She circled the perimeter of the room until she reached the opposite side. From there she cut directly into the center of the room where Jareth stood. To her satisfaction he was not facing the direction she was coming from.

He was wearing his sparkling blue jacket, her favorite from the Labyrinth Selection of Goblin King Attire. She giggled softly and stalked up closely behind him.

_I'll place the sky within your eyes_

_As the pain sweeps through_

_Makes no sense for you_

_Every thrill has gone_

_Wasn't too much fun at all_

"But I'll be there for you," Sarah sang softly and wound her arms around his waist. "As the world falls down."

He laughed darkly and spun around to pull Sarah close to his chest. They danced across the floor and he continued to sing. They were the glowing couple on the dance floor, all eyes watched them.

_I'll paint you mornings of gold_

_I'll spin your valentine evenings though we're strangers 'til now_

_We're choosing the path between the stars_

_I'll lay my love between the stars_

_As the pain sweeps through_

_Makes no sense for you_

_Every thrill has gone_

_Wasn't too much fun at all_

_But I'll be there for you_

_As the world falls down_

_It's falling, falling_

_Falling in love_

He leaned down to kiss her, the crowd around them sighed in awe as the two began to vanish in a cloud of glitter. Sarah felt the wind of transporting blow her hair loose of her ornaments. She could feel the sudden release of the weight of her dress turn to the free swish of her green dress that she had worn before. Then Jareth released her and she began to fall, gently, like she was swimming through the air. She landed in a familiar place; the final battle of the Labyrinth had taken place here. In the room beyond the Escher room where she had said those insipid words that had broken his heart. Why would Jareth choose this place?

Then she saw why. Perched on one of the broken stairs was a little barn owl. He said proudly, but a little cowering in his stance, as if he was questioning the logic of taking here there.

Jareth had been afraid of taking her here, the place where she broke her heart and his world fell down, but Sarah smiled softly, her eyes understanding.

"I won't ever do what I did to you the first time we were here ever again." She said and walked to lean in front of the bird. "Why would I? When I love you far more then anything I've ever loved before?" She kissed the bird's head.

Jareth turned to his human form, wearing his red velvet leather ensemble. "How can you be so sure?" He was on his hands and knees like she was, his nose almost touching hers.

"Sure of what?"

He gave her a lopsided grin. "That you'll always love me, you are mortal, your heart sways easily."

Sarah smiled, and raised a hand and traced a circle around his mouth. "We have forever; I don't plan on ever leaving you."

"Forever," He scoffed. "Not long at all." Then his face went from teased fear to stern earnestness. "You would love me forever?"

"Without a question, no doubts or regrets. If you looked into my dreams now, you will only see you." She said. "That and to have many children when I grow older."

"Any particular idea for the father of these many children?" He asked with a smile.

Sarah smiled, but gave him no answer other then a kiss, which he returned with alarmingly sweet fire. Then another shower of glitter overcame them and they vanished once again.

Hours later, Sarah was draped across Jareth's lap, her head on his shoulder, half-asleep. After their kiss they had reappeared in a Market Restaurant, where they ate a meal of peach cobbler, peach pie, and strawberry shortcake. All fruited out, their final destination was Sarah's couch where they spent some time kissing and laughing together. Then Sarah began to grow tired and curled up on Jareth's chest and she started to doze off. He hummed a lullaby, and very soon she was completely asleep. This would not do, he wanted to ask her something.

"Sarah?" He coaxed her awake, and she smiled sleepily at him.

"Yes?" She said. She was playing with the collar of his vest, toying with the material.

"I want to have you forever, precious." He said. She nodded as if this was old news. "I want to make you my Queen."

The only way to describe Sarah's eyes was: buggy. They burst out of her head in surprise, and then she blinked and laughed uneasily. "You mean you want to marry me?"

_ More then that precious,_ He smiled. "Yes." He conjured a crystal from the air and in his gloved hand it turned into a small crystal box in the shape of a heart. He put it in Sarah's hand then opened it to reveal a ring, perfect and elegant. She gasped.

"Sarah Williams, will you do me the most fulfilling honor of becoming my bride?" He asked softly. "Will you marry me?"

She blinked and watched him take the ring out of its case and put it on her finger. Then she smiled. "Of course I will Jareth."

Just then a crash sent shards of glass everywhere as a very large crow burst through the window.

Both of them jumped to their feet as the bird began to fly low and around their ankles, nipping at their skin and slashing the skin of Sarah's legs with its sharp beak.

"It's Fae!" Jareth yelled and swung Sarah behind him. The crow flew around the room once, twice then landed opposite of them.

And then it began to change. Slowly it doubled in size and continued to grow. Its bones cracked and changed and soon it formed the shape of a man. He was clothed in a billowing black cloak, with black armor underneath. He had dark hair, black as coal and eyes to match. His skin was chalky and without life. He looked like a skeleton, draped in death as a garb.

"Irvus." Jareth breathed. "What business do you have here?"

Sarah held a firm grip on Jareth's shoulder, against her will force she trembled, Irvus was the walking example of fear. She knew instantly she did not favor his presence.

"No business," He said and smiled. Like Jareth he had sharp teeth, only his were sharper, longer with a strange animalistic style about them. "All pleasure."

"You will find none of that here." Jareth said. "As the son of the High King I command you to leave this instant." Sarah looked to Irvus and felt her fear heighten when she saw how he was looking at her.

Irvus tilted his head. "What a pretty girl you've grown up to be Sarah," He said. "As charming as your smile is I find your eyes afraid are far more enticing."

"Under the name of my father, Tiran of the Fae, I command you to leave this house and never return." Jareth ordered in a dark voice that brought shivers to Sarah's skin.

"Not until I have what is mine." Irvus said and held out his hand to Sarah.

"Nothing here is yours." Jareth said calmly, though his eyes were full of thunderstorms.

"I have claimed this girl," Irvus said. "By all rights she is mine."

"I am betrothed to her." Jareth said. "She is mine."

Irvus smiled dangerously, eyeing Sarah with those coal black eyes that made her want to scream. "We shall see what my father has to say about that," Jareth took a sharp intake of breath. "You have seven days to be rid of Sarah and everything that reminds you of her, or I shall take what is mine and kill anyone who gets in the way."

With that Irvus transformed into a crow and darted out the broken window into the shadows of the night.

"Jareth," Sarah gasped. "Who was he?"

He didn't answer, only grasped her wrist and dragged her to her bedroom. Once there he began to gather her clothes, a few of her books, anything he could find that he thought she would need. Once he had gathered what he thought was enough he tapped each thing and it disappeared into piles of glitter. Then he turned to her and picked her up in his arms so her knees bent over his arm and her back against the other. Then he transported them. Though Sarah didn't see it her floor length mirror and portal to and from Underground was smashed to glittering pieces not seconds after they vanished. A black crow's feather lay among the pieces.


	4. Chapter 4 Down in the Underground

Just a warning for you darlings, this is where the story turns dark, all the sweetness and fluff is turned way down and what is left is not as pretty as you may hope. Please note none of my personal religious beliefs are in the story when it comes to hell or death. What I have written is merely a vision of what pure evil and darkness can be, I suppose it is not really hell, but the name seems to fit. It's a bit more like Hades Underworld with Satan as a minor ruler and Persephone as the stately monarch, but that's in the next chapter... I'm gonna shut up so you can read. Enjoy!

Chapter 4: Down in the Underground

Jareth sat a dizzy Sarah down on his bed and urgently went about the room putting Sarah's things away. All the clothes he'd brought went instantly into his closet along with all his clothing. Her books settled in neat piles on his desk to be sorted onto his tightly packed bookcase later. Sarah watched as he bustled around nervously and wondered with a faint humor if this was his reaction to being afraid. Some people cried, others ran away and Jareth organized things.

While her frantic King went about his way, grumbling troubled and grim, Sarah looked around the grand bedroom. Its walls reached amazing heights; up to a dark ceiling which showed the shadow of a painting which Sarah couldn't see clearly in the dim light. The bed was abominably large, with a canopy of deep red color that reached to the ceiling; it had satin pillows and a smooth thick blanket the same blood-like color of the canopy. The beams of the bed, along with almost every other piece of furniture in the room was trimmed in silver, dulled silver to be sure, but a simply elegant one. Said furniture about the room was a deep wood desk, chair, a bookcase, a grand mirror that reached the height of the ceiling and a couch with little silk trimmed pillows. The room was lit by many tiny crystals which all emanated a sort of moon-like gleam. It was an entrancing room. But Sarah could only survey the room quickly before sternly commanding Jareth to explain to her what was going on.

He didn't answer at first, and then turned weary eyes to her. "A dangerous man is in pursuit of you."

"But why did you take me here?" She said, very angry by the way he spoke to her like a misbehaving child.

"I want you safe Sarah," He said, mirroring her frustration. "He would have been able to get to you easier there then here. I can keep him from you here."

"Who is he?" She asked again.

Jareth felt his heart growing weary with dread and he collapsed to his knees. "The only one who could possibly ever take you away from me." He said. "Irvus, the Dark King, is the son of the Devil."

There was a tapping at his door. Hoggle left his cup of tea on the table and went to answer it. He was curious as to why a visitor would come so late at night, he could think of no good reason, or any visitor for that matter. But still, a slave to his manners at least since he met Sarah, he opened the door.

The next morning Sir Dydimus found crying Ludo standing at the dwarf Hoggle's door. In his meaty hand law the only thing left in the dwarf's home that gave any indication of his whereabouts. It was as Dydimus's nose confirmed it to be, a crow feather.

Sarah awoke in Jareth's massive bed, the king of the goblins with his head on her stomach, still very much in slumber. She ran her fingers through his hair, tangling and untangling, watching faint sunlight begin to form behind the mist of the silver white curtains. They had fallen asleep in each others arms, Sarah having borrowed one of Jareth's poet shirts to sleep in. She may have grown taller since she was fifteen but still not tall enough for Jareth's clothes to not fit like a nightgown. Though it hardly covered her breasts, Sarah didn't really care. The one thing occupying her mind in the order of the morning was Jareth's words from the previous night. The Devil's son. The Devil's son was after her. Why? She was just Sarah, the Editor, the Lady of the Labyrinth, Jareth's fiancée. The last thought made her smile and she twirled her fingers through his hair.

From Irvus Sarah had the feeling of lost wariness. Like she had known for many years that he'd been there watching her from behind his shadows and she had been a lucky helpless mouse. Lucky, because in all that time that he had been watching he hadn't caused her any harm. Yet.

In he arms, Jareth moaned in his sleep, the cried out and woke, bleary eyed and wild-looking. Sarah had to grab his face in her hands and hold him firm to prevent him from thrashing off the side of the bed.

"Sarah!" He cried and then his lips came down on hers as he kissed her fiercely. The intensity of his mouth frightened her, only because she could sense his fear, whatever nightmare had tormented him had most likely involved him losing her. He sighed and buried his face in her neck, his body given to shaking slightly. Ash shadows had gathered under his lovely eyes.

"Jareth, please tell me the dream." She said.

He blanched in utter loss, no, he couldn't tell her of the dream, and it would destroy her as much as it destroyed him. Just the thought of what he had seen what darkness had followed him in his only place of true freedom, made him break inside.

"It was of Hell," He whispered softly. "And you were a prisoner there."

Sarah felt his hold on her tighten. Around her the room seemed to suddenly chill as something dawned on her.

"Jareth," She gasped. "If he had been watching me for my entire life…he must know my family, where they are and…" Jareth sat up and her fear was reflected in his eyes.

He swore and picked her up in his arms. In the next second they were gone in a cloud of glitter.

The house Sarah had grown up in was empty. But there were signs of struggle, of a battle. A lamp was over turned, along with many other pieces of furniture. The couch in the living room looked and smelled as if it had been scorched by flame. All along the house showed signs of pursuit. No one had escaped it seemed. Irvus had captured them, her family and took them to Hell. Her father, her step-mother. Toby.

Neither spoke a word.

Toby dared not to open his eyes. He was sweating and crying, the tears just flowing and he couldn't stop them. His parents hung by their wrists to the right of him, they were still unconscious, their faces, he knew were covered in blood. He had called their names for hours, until his throat ran dry and he could no longer speak even in whispers and still they never woke.

To the right of him hung a very strange creature, who like his parents was unconscious and very beaten. It was a little man of sorts, very wrinkled and wearing a poet shirt under a leather vest, which seemed more shreds of clothing then a true article altogether. He had very bright white hair hidden under a leather cap. He, like Toby and his parents, was shackled by the wrists, but he also had bonds around his stubby ankles and one band of metal over his waist. Toby avoided looking at the thing; it was the one thing in the room next to his family that wasn't dead, but it was very near death and this frightened Toby more then he could ever say.

Around them the dungeon had black walls made of stone. Scattering the floor were the thin and shell-like remains of skeletons so old even their bones were starting to grow ever delicate. There was almost no light save one beam of red luminosity that came in through a crack up near the ceiling. It shone down over Toby and his family, though the dwarfish creature hung just short of its glow. There was no door, and Toby didn't remember how he got there, so as a result all plans of escape were rather wanting in one thing: a way out.

"Sarah?" He whispered. Sarah had always been the one to save him in their story-time games. She had told him tales of how she wished him away to a far-away land then had ventured through its mazes for hours to find him. She always saved him. Maybe she could this time. "Sarah!" He screeched then his eight-year-old body failed him and he once again fell into a swimming sort of sleep from which he would not wake again 'til many hours had gone by.

Sarah was ready. She and Jareth had returned to Underground. They had gathered what it was they needed. Clothing had to be for all sort of weather, for Sarah this meant a pair of Jareth's pants, which though styled to be tight on him, was slightly loose on her. Over a slack corset Jareth had given her she wore a poet's shirt, sleeves rolled up to her elbows. For more protection and for the sake of not giving Jareth any distraction with his pants making her rump more prominent a feature she took a pair of jean shorts that Jareth had gotten from her apartment and wore those over the pants. Next she wore a pair of leather black boots which Jareth conjured for her to fit just right.

She braided her hair then twisted the long braid into a rolled bun on the back of her head. Jareth had not questioned her when she informed him that she needed to save her family. Though he now understood all of his troubled feelings from days before and he didn't want to let his precious love walk straight into the burning mouth of Hell, he wasn't about to rule her. She would have fought to find another way to evade him had he refused to let her go.

He would go with her, use his magic to protect her and battle with her for her family. He wore an outfit made of complete leather, he had been in Hell before, and the heat of it meant nothing to him. He had Sarah dress in removable layers to ensure she did not get dehydrated though he knew he had an endless water and food supply with his magic, with Sarah he found himself always being extra cautious.

"Alright," Sarah said. "Let's go to Hell."

He took her in his arms, held her shaking body against his and then took her face and kissed her. Fearing almost that this may be the last time he would be able to see her safe and healthy in his arms. The kiss grew deeper, the love springing from both of them trying to meld together in one vicious bond of feeling. They separated slowly, the last few stolen kisses hot and full of lost longing. Sarah tried to bury the feelings, the imperishable love, and the ever thriving fear. But both strong feelings flourished without her being able to calm them easily. They physically drained her, but she strived to dig out the energy she had in her to find family. Setting her lips in a grim line she raised a hand to touch his cheek gently. Then she wound her arms around his waist and together a cloud of blue flames, not glitter to Sarah's sorrow, gathered up around them and Sarah had the feeling in her lower belly of falling. The sensation would have caused her to scream were it not for Jareth's protecting arms around her. The flames did not burn though Sarah could feel heat as if she stood a distance from them, even as they wound around her ankles and licked at her cheeks. She drew back from Jareth just a little to look at his face and once again that energized love fueled her and she clung to him around his neck and kissed him once more. Like the other kisses this one was hot, searing even. Kindled by their love, but brought to a higher passion by their urgent feelings and fear.

They did not part from their kiss until the flames had subsided and Sarah looked around, half-expecting little demons with pointy horns and pitchforks to be running around. But instead she found she was under a sky of stars surrounded by a field of knee-high grass.

"This…is Hell?" Sarah said.

Jareth laughed uneasily. "No, they call this the field of dreams, that is the doorway." He pointed across the field. Sarah looked where he pointed and drew in a sharp breath. It was a cave, a mound of sorts, covered in grass but there was a wide gaping mouth which revealed only darkness.

"Let's go then," She said.

"Sarah, wait," He said and took her forearms in his strong grip. His eyes were dark and fearful. "No mortal who enters Hell may ever leave again unless they were stolen there. But I have put a spell over you so for exactly a month, just to be sure; your blood, soul and mind are all Fae. For the Fae may leave and enter Hell at will."

"A month?" She squeaked.

"Just in case something goes wrong and we may be a little delayed." He said, trying to calm her.

"Alright," She sighed and buried her head into his neck. "Alright, let's go."

Hand in hand, they walked through the grass, when they reached the mouth of the cave, Sarah squeezed his hand. She was about to step into the darkness when Jareth pulled her back.

"Sarah," He sighed sadly. "I could not bear to suffer your tears. I want to blind fold you until we reach Middle Hell; Beginning Hell is far too mortifying."

"I think I can handle it," She said.

"Believe me," He said and produced a black blindfold.

Without question Sarah allowed him to tie the cloth over her eyes. Then he took her hand and began to guide her into Hell.

There was no sound. No screams as she had thought there would be, just the soft padding sounds of boots on very old worn rocks. She could feel the stone like steps, heading downward. At first it was very cold then a very dry heat, not warmth, but dry skin cracking heat was blown against her in a sharp wind. She struggled for a moment to draw breath, and when she started to cough Jareth lifted something pleasingly cold to her lips.

"Drink," He ordered. She obeyed and tipped her head back to accept the drink. It tasted sweet, but the texture was like water and it was just as refreshing. She could feel its cold melting through her, from her lips down to her toes. He lowered what he'd held. Then he stopped Sarah and kneeled in front of her. "Climb on my back." He said. Sarah did as he wanted and hooked her arms around his neck. He held her under her knees and broke forward in a swift downward run.

Sarah felt gnarled hands and sharp nails run across her cheeks. She cried out and Jareth ran faster.

"We're almost out of the hall of spirits forgotten." He said gently. "Please don't cry again, I couldn't handle it."

Sarah quickly shut her mouth and buried her face on the back of his neck. She could feel his frantic pulse, and tried to calm him by kissing the back of his neck.

"Thank you," He sighed. The gentle touch was enough to calm his heart. Middle Hell's gates were near, he could see them. He hated Hell, he just hated it more then he ever hated any other place. Middle Hell was loud, but its sight was by far easier to bear then Beginning Hell where the deformed faces of the oldest ghosts stirred in opaque clouds to haunt the damned.

Around them the red sea of blood and skins of the dead rumbled and he carried Sarah over the bridge, singing as loud as he could to drown out the sounds of screams. In the orange sky, the sun, a fiery ball of red and black flame beat down on them. He could feel Sarah's hot body growing warmer and her breathing was once more impaired to short gasps as she struggled to bring the hard air into her soft lungs. He stopped again to hold a crystal to her lips. It filled her body once again with the magic liquid he'd made it from, and he felt her relax against him as her body instantly lowered in temperature.

He carried her for a long time over the ten mile bridge. By the end of the day when the rolling fire ball of bloody sun had reached the horizon line, he had reached the end of the bridge. Among the catacombs and caves he found a very acceptable grotto that had a deep mouth and was sheltered enough to sleep in. No souls or demons would dare touch the traveling Fae as they slept but Jareth wanted to be absolutely sure, so he passed a wall of magic around them to keep them safe from so much a pinch from any demon fingers.

He held Sarah against him, cradled warm against his body. As hard as she tried, tears began to fall, without her being able to stop them; they flowed on their own accord in hot streams.

In Hell there was no moon to light the night, no stars, no light. But in the dark of the cave Jareth could tell she was crying. He turned her around in his arms so she was facing him and kissed each tear away. She didn't know this and he probably would never tell her, but he could taste her dreams in her tears. They were sweet, full of soft days, sunsets and dawns. Dew on minty green grass, stars in a desert sky. And Underground…her friends…him. He smiled a little, he was in her dreams, and in fact he was center stage of them. She really loved him, for all his mystery and mood swings and cocky personality. He'd never felt more alive.

"I saw my baby," He sang. "Crying hard as babe could cry, what could I do? My baby's love had gone and left my baby blue, nobody knew what kind of magic spells to use. Slime and snails and puppy dog tails, thunder or lightning. Then baby said: Dance, dance magic dance, put that magic spell on me. Jump, jump magic jump, put that magic jump on me, slap that baby," He made fun and slapped her rump playfully and she giggled lightly. She didn't protest when he didn't remove his hand. "I saw my baby, trying hard as babe could try what could I do? My baby's fun had gone and left my baby blue, nobody knew…"

He continued for a long time, singing new verses and trying as hard as king could try to get her to fall asleep. When at last it seemed she would not be able to achieve true slumber he slipped a bit of magic over her and very soon she was dead asleep in his arms.

Irvus spied on the lovers in a cloud of envy. They slept fully clothed in each others arms. It was not fair, Sarah was_ his_. Soon, once they reached the palace where he had imprisoned her family, he would have her all to himself. It would be easy. Then for fun, he would imprison that ignorant over-confident king and watch him rot for the next million years. It would be beautiful, dark and bloody. Irvus licked his lips at the thought of Sarah, looking small and helpless, spread out on his bed tangled in the sheets. The image pleased him and he shunned the true sight of Jareth and Sarah together in the cave.

He smiled and waited.

Sarah was running as fast as her legs could carry her. Her breath was pained and a struggle to take. Her hair had become undone and was falling everywhere around her. Her entire body was covered in sweat; it was dripping down her face. She had been running for a very long time, Jareth beside her was struggling just as hard as she was. But as much as her body ached she knew she could not stop for anything. They were passing through the darkest part of Hell, darkest meaning the most souls burned here. In this place the souls of rapists, murderers, kidnappers, adulterers and sinners of the blackest form were being rewarded for their deeds by having each they had committed repeated to them. For the rest of eternity. Sarah and Jareth were running because the sounds of screams and the sights of the rotting beaten souls were far more the Sarah could handle. Jareth himself was very much afraid of what he saw, he had as a child learned of the many things humans did, the many horrors they commit against one and another, but to see them with his eyes was more shocking and more disgusting then he was able to stand. They ran and soon came to the way out of this part of Hell. The passageway opened up to a large kingdom, where at the center stood a castle of splendor and horror.

Its towers cast shadows over the already shadowed world, breaking the sky with its claw like peaks. Thunder rolled and a spark of lightning the color of lava slashed into the earth not a foot from where Sarah stood. She screamed quietly and Jareth pulled her under the protection of his leather coat which he had stripped from himself to hold over them. They tumbled clumsy with exhaustion for a while until collapsing, panting in each other's arms. Sarah drew off her poet's shirt and used it to cushion their heads. He draped the coat over them, and fabricated two crystals. He held the first one to Sarah's lips and commanded her to drink which she did. The next crystal had meanwhile turned into a small meal of frozen strawberries and some other small fragments of food. They ate in silence, lying on their sides facing each other.

"We're almost there," He said softly when they had finished eating. He wiped Sarah's face with a cold hand. She leaned her face into his palm, inhaling his smell. "Soon we can reach the castle and rescue your family."

"How will we do it?" Sarah sighed. "It's not like they'll just hand over my family if I ask them nice enough."

Even though she lacked her ordinary conviction, Jareth appreciated the snarky comment, she sounded more like herself. Since entering Hell four days ago and traveling to its center Sarah had grown silent, reposed and weaker every moment they spent there.

"It is not a surprise my dear for you to realize that I have power far greater then that of the Devil's?" He said. "Trust me, do what I say when I say. If I tell you to run, you run. And never look back." He said this with such firm tone that Sarah chose not to question him, after all he was the one who had been in Hell before, not her.

She watched him for a moment. He was running his fingers over her collar bone, and he didn't notice her intense gaze upon him. There was hardly a moment when everything had happened for her to consider what costs Jareth was paying on account of her. He had abandoned his kingdom, carried her into Hell, and was using all of his magic to save her and her family. He was exhausting himself for her. Starving too, she hadn't seen him eat very much, he just gave her everything. He was moving the stars for her…

_You starve and near exhaust me! I move the stars for no one… Everything you have asked I have done. How you've turned my world you precious thing. _

Sarah felt herself grow cold, for the first time since entering Hell and this time it was not from the liquid filled crystals. She felt a horrid guilt for everything she had done. She waited and soon Jareth began to sleep, too exhausted to even wait for her to sleep first. Then, she moved quickly, disengaging his arm from over waist, and reaching into the endless pockets of his leather jacket. She pulled out two already formed crystals. She identified one as one of the hundred liquid crystals. She put that in a bag she made out of her poet's shirt. The other had no distinguishing purpose. She wondered if she could use it for some other way. She tried to imagine if there was some way to restrain Jareth so he would have no way to chase her once she left. Then to her surprise the crystal turned into a pair of handcuffs. It wouldn't completely restrain him but it would for a while delay him.

She took a few more blank crystals before slipping the cuffs on his wrists. She found a stalagmite sticking up from the ground nearby and she carefully dragged him to it and slung his hands over it. He didn't stir at all. She tied her hand-made bag over her side and leaned to kiss him.

"I love you," She whispered. "When I have them with me I'll come back to find you."

She turned and ran toward the castle where she knew her family was being kept. With her heart in her throat she ran to the Devil's home.

Jareth woke. In his dream he had been holding Sarah, leaning over her while she was strewn out over the pillows of his bed. He was kissing her, singing lightly. When he opened his eyes he found himself face to face with a black rock of sorts that was sticking out of the ground. He was very confused at first then he realized everything that had happened.

"Sarah," It came out a broken sigh, his voice cracked and his breath rattled out of him in a vacant sigh. Then he began to fight with his restraints, until he snapped the chains connecting the cuffs. He was lucky they weren't made of iron or else he would have been too weakened to break the manacles. Then he screamed loud and long, the crash of thunder and the sparks of lightning the only witnesses to his mourning cries. Then he sprinted downward, unsure of how long he had slept, or when Sarah had left. He had no way of knowing if she was still alive and well, or if she had fallen into the clutches of Irvus. Tears, blasted tears fell down his face as he was swallowed into the darkness of the castle's shadow.


	5. Chapter 5 Dangers Untold

I do not expect anyone to like this chapter, I myself have a great disliking to it. It may seem that the conflict is ending but it certainly goes on much further. Things are not always what they seem in this place… Shoot me for sounding so corny. Enjoy.

Chapter 5: Dangers Untold

Sarah was standing at the gates which led into the castle grounds. She was praying, long streams of words, begging God and all the Fae who may be watching to help her face her worst fears. She had already left her love behind in safety; all she needed to do now was get her family to equal safety. She was willing to pay anything to rescue them. _Anything,_ the word echoed in her.

She reached forward and swung open the metal gate which sprung with a rusty shriek that wailed in the strange new silence. She stepped slowly over the stone path, the quiet around her growing heavier and heavier like the silence itself was a great mass of creature that was clinging to her moving form. She felt the dry wind and the excruciating heat sting her entire body. The bitter tears sprinkled without cease from her drooping tired eyes. She hadn't slept in over a week, save the few times Jareth had cheated her into slumber with magic, which even thus fueled left her more exhausted then she had been before.

The huge iron doors of the castle were slightly open, just enough for a beam of bluish light to shine through. No guard stood at the door, though Sarah felt there wasn't any need for a sentinel in this kind of place. The kingdom itself was a jail, the prisoners too tortured to ever be able to fight their master. She peered into the doorway and saw a great hall. It glowed from a burning bowl of blue fire which stood on a thin carved pole in the center of the room. From what Sarah could guess the pole was made out of the leg bone of some great animal much larger then any she'd ever seen before. Around perimeter of the room were a series of many doors, none of which indicated a dungeon or any place to hide stolen mortals. And at the end of the Hall were two staircases which led onto a small balcony that overlooked the entire room. She stepped inside tentatively.

Her boots made soft thuds against the floor. Before she was to the center of the room where the blue flame flickered, the sounds of sharp shoes shocked her stiff.

From the stairs stepped the figure of a woman. She was tall and slender, with a grey hooded cloak which covered her. Inside the cloak Sarah could see nothing, save the hints of fabric showing the glow of a red gown. The woman cocked her head, or rather the hood cocked to the side and Sarah had the most horrible feeling that the eyes under that hood could see right through her.

A boney, yet beautiful pale hand peeked out of the cloak and the woman reached and pulled the hood away. Sarah gasped at the sight, in both fear and awe. Standing before her was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She had huge grey eyes, a long nose with nostrils that turned up just slightly. She had a silk-like mouth which seemed more violet then red and sunken cheeks that were a very soft pale rose. Her hair was like silver thread, hanging in long thin strands. The woman smiled, and the sight of her fanged mouth made Sarah tremble.

"Ah my dear," The woman said. "Are you afraid of me?"

Sarah's mouth hung open and for a moment she was unable to speak. Then she felt herself fall into that desperate position she had been in when she had rescued Toby. She called on the courage she knew she had in her to respond to this strange woman with an almost mockingly happy tone. "Fear you, my lady? Why no, I am simply struck by your beauty," _This is the land of sin_, Sarah remembered, _make her believe you're a sinner_. "And I am most envious of you." She had darkened her tone, trying to convey the jealousy she didn't not feel for the terrifying woman.

The woman smiled then clapped her hands in delight. "What cheek!" She hurried down the flight of stairs and peered curiously at Sarah, examining her with a troubled eye. "My dear, did you walk here? Irvus will be most delighted to see you have come but I do not think the conditions in which you are in will please him." She plucked up a strand of Sarah's unwashed hair between small tipped fingers. Sarah forced herself not to flinch when the woman leaned in and sniffed it with an animal like snort.

"Yes, come with me," The woman took Sarah's hand in hers, and the girl couldn't hold back her cry when those icy fingers snared hers. "Hush now, no worries, Irvus will be with you soon."

"My Lady," Sarah had to force the undeserved chivalry. "I believe you have mistaken me for someone else. I have come to retrieve my family which I know is in the possession of Irvus."

The woman's eyes flared for a moment, and then she smiled once more. "Are you Sarah Marta Williams?"

"I am." Sarah's whisper was dry, her mouth felt as though she had stuffed it full of sawdust. How the hell did this woman know her name? And her full name at that, she hadn't ever mentioned her middle name to anyone in the past eleven years, she hated it so.

"Then I do not have you mistaken, my son speaks very highly of you," She said. "You may call me Persephone; my husband is around and about somewhere. But before anything we must go get you cleaned up."

"My family," Sarah spoke sternly. "I came to get my family."

"You will see them soon enough." Persephone's tone was dark, threatening. Sarah found that as the woman took her hand once again in her icy clutch she could not fight her.

Persephone took her to a tower room where a giant golden tub sat in the center of the vast circular extent. The room was lit by many oddly scented candles about the room, the smell of which was making Sarah dizzy. The walls were made of stone, save one which was made completely from mirror. Persephone didn't hesitate and called for a servant to come and wash the girl. A maid came in. Sarah watched in silent horror as Persephone left her with the strange creature.

The maid looked more like a cat then a girl; she had pointed ears, wide eyes made entirely of lime green iris and thin black pupils. Her hair was covered by a lace cap, but strands of it fell about her face in curled whisker-like waves. Her fingers were short and her nails were long, but she smiled softly, with teeth that were very much human in all ordinary respects.

"Miss, you'll want to undress now," Her voice was soft and sweet, a voice Sarah knew did not belong to a demon. This girl was no demon or devil, even if she had a very inhuman appearance Sarah felt her trust in her grow.

"What is your name?" Sarah asked and began to do as the cat-girl instructed by taking off her many layers of clothing. She set her small sack of crystals on the ground in a place she could get to easily near the tube, just in case this girl was not as trustworthy as Sarah's instincts told her.

The cat-girl made a sort of humming purr. "My name is Sasha." She took Sarah's clothes and began to fold them.

"How did you become a servant in this place?" Sarah couldn't help the disgust in her tone.

Sasha's eyes grew a little sad. "I…was sold to the Devil by my brother in exchange for the life of his mortal lover. The Devil had no use for me, but my Lady Persephone pitied me because she was once a Fae like I am, though she didn't come from the same place as I did. So she kept me as her personal maid." Sasha reached over the tube to turn the water on.

Sarah felt a little foolish standing naked next to this stranger, but she was moved to tears by Sasha's story. The cat-girl smiled a little.

"Of course," She whispered. "You have a much better fate here then I do," She laid her paw like hand over her heart. Sarah hadn't noticed 'til then the very poor conditions of the dress the girl wore, tattered and ripped and stained from god knows what. "To be the bride of the Dark King!"

Sarah stopped breathing. Irvus had stolen her family and forced her to walk straight into Hell because he wanted her to be his bride? Jareth had said the Dark Fae was only lusting after her, but the nature of Fae only allows them to love once. Some part in her wanted to cry, for if Jareth was indeed wrong and Irvus was wedding her because of his heart, then she would forever feel guilty for denying him. Then she remembered the look in that horrible man's eyes. Their coldness and darkness.

"I will not wed such a man, Sasha." She said. The girl jumped in surprise. "I simply cannot," Sarah explained. "I am engaged to another whom I love with all my heart."

The Fae-youth frowned. "Here miss, let me help you into the tube, maybe the water will clear your mind."

Sarah gave up and let the girl help her into the tube. The water was brilliantly warm, and as Sarah moved to sit down in its gold reflecting depths she began to feel a rumble deep inside her. The sensation moved through her slowly, crawling up her legs and arms to her center.

Sasha combed out her grimy hair into the water, holding Sarah by the back of the neck. After she cleaned her hair with a sweet smelling shampoo, Sasha left her to enjoy herself in the water.

Sarah fell asleep and began to dream. She dreamed she was with Jareth, curled up on a soft mattress, both of them naked under a thin sheet. He ran his tongue gently over her lips and she opened her mouth to let him in and they kissed for what felt like forever. Dizzy and without breath Sarah felt his warm hand move up her ribcage to her breast. At first his touch was gentle and loving…then it grew rough and his nails dug into her flesh and she screamed and his fanged mouth came down on her open one. It was no longer Jareth who was holding her, but instead Irvus.

Sarah woke but the dream did not end. The water around her had started to drain away and a very naked Irvus was holding her down on the tube floor, his fangs nipping at her lips, is touch on her body rough and sharp.

She screamed and tried to kick him away. _Please, god, no, not him, please god don't let him-_

Her prayers ended short when her virginity was stolen in one sharp blow, by the son of the Devil who sighed in dark bliss even as she fainted.

Jareth was at the gates, breathing deep, trying to focus on Sarah's soul. He could feel it, a sharp flow of energy that emanated from her like a flame. He had always been able to sense it and even now with her lost in the dark castle e could feel it faintly. He let a cloud of glitter swallow him and pull him swiftly to where her soul could be felt. He appeared in a bathroom and was very confused until he spotted her laying in the tube, blood pooling from between her legs.

"Sarah!" He ran to the tube and stared in horror at her bruised body. He dove into the tube and picked her up in his arms. He wiped the hair from her face, tears from his eye running down his face to drip and land on hers. "Sarah, please, wake up." He fell to his knees and cradled her close to his chest. He threw his head back and screamed a long murderous ringing howl.

"Now now, goblin-man, there is no need to fuss," Irvus appeared from the darkness. He wore a pair of pants and that was all. Jareth could imagine what he had done to Sarah, and his heart flamed violently.

"You monstrous man!" Jareth spat and produced a crystal. He flung it toward Irvus but before the blow could meet it's foe it shattered on its own accord and landed in many sparkling pieces on the floor.

"No…" Jareth whispered and held Sarah ever tighter. The hold on her woke her and Sarah cried out in surprise.

"Jareth!" She said, then her eyes caught sight of the man who had raped her and she shrunk against Jareth in fear. "Irvus." She hissed angrily.

"My dear," Irvus smiled.

"Give me back my family," Sarah commanded but her voice was weak.

"Just your family?" Irvus smiled and cocked his head to the side.

"Who else have you stolen!" Sarah yelled. Jareth held her tightly and wound an arm around her belly, trying to keep her weak body contained even has she flared up like a flame.

"Oh dear, just a little dwarf who happened to be home one evening." He smiled. "Still if you want him to be returned as well then by all means."

Irvus waved his hand in the air and a small cloud of shiny black stones gathered around his hand before shooting in all directions and vanishing. "There the deed is done, they are all home and safe with no memory of what has happened."

"Jareth is that true?" Sarah asked. He formed a crystal and showed her, it was as Irvus had said. "Fine then," She whispered. "Let's go."

"What was that darling?" Irvus laughed a harsh and humorless laugh. "No, Sarah, you will be staying with me. You are to be my queen."

Sarah broke away from Jareth's grasp, naked and bruised as she was and screamed angrily. "I will never marry you. I would never marry a man so deceitful and cruel. You raped me, stole my family and beat me. Why on earth do you think I would want to marry you?"

"Because, my dear," Irvus smiled. "The one you think is good is no better then me." He looked at Jareth who still sat on the floor of the tube, his arms hanging limp between his legs. The Goblin King did not speak, or meet Sarah's eyes, he only watched Irvus.

"You think Jareth you would get away with hiding your secrets from her?" Irvus laughed again. "As if! I'm most surprised you never told her about your cruel ways, your lying cheating games with mortals. All you ever wanted was attention."

"That's not true," Jareth growled. "I did what was asked of me."

"You were lenient with Sarah," The Dark King sighed. "But what did you do with the others?"

Jareth's mouth hung open, he couldn't speak. Only then did he turn to Sarah. She was frowning slightly; she kneeled down in front of him.

"Jareth, what did you do?" She whispered. She reached up to pull a strand of his hair from his face.

His head fell and he sighed sadly.

She stood a quiet statue and limped slightly away from him. "If you cannot tell me, then for now we may need some time a part. Irvus please let me go home. I do not want to see the Goblin king right now."

Inside of him Jareth could feel everything shatter. A thousand swords impaling him, a hundred slashing whips against his back. Irvus smiled and said, "Yes, dear, home you shall be." He touched Sarah's cheek and she vanished.

Jareth felt nothing then, his insides had all gone cold with ice and he stood. "If you so much as lay a finger on her I will personally watch your head roll off your body to be fed to my goblins." He threatened and left the room. He stepped into a cloud of glitter and silently transported from the castle, through each part of Hell until he was once again in the field of dreams. From there he went home, to the cold castle where he locked himself in his chamber and let no servants or goblins in.

Sarah reappeared in her apartment bedroom. She was still naked and bleeding and only then did the pain of it all hit her like a sharp summer wind. She fell to the ground and sobbed. When she had enough strength to drag herself to the mirror, she called for Hoggle. His face appeared in the glass.

"Sarah…"

"Hoggle," She cried. "Hoggle please help me!"

Irvus was angry. He hadn't won Sarah; she still loved Jareth, for the time being anyway. He had poisoned it, but he knew she was much stronger then her doubts. He had lost. But…he had been in her. He smiled darkly, no matter what Jareth and Sarah might have in the future; he would always have that sweet trick. He had stolen her virginity; she would never be able to give Jareth that gift. So even as he gave up on the perfect china doll mortal he had chosen, he smiled, for in the end he had won and most likely ruined much of their blooming relationship. Either way, Sarah had a lot to learn about her goblin king.

Hoggle watched Sarah sleep sadly. She had been hurt and broken. She had explained everything that had happened, sobbing the whole while. She was so afraid that she had hurt Jareth, but she had told Hoggle that she had said those things and been so cold because she knew Irvus wouldn't have let her go had he known she still loved Jareth. Hoggle had calmed her, cleaned her up and gave her clothes from her closet. Her favorite David Bowie T-shirt and boxer-style shorts. Now as she lay asleep in her bed, her damp hair leaving a wet stain on her pillow Hoggle decided it was best to leave her for a quick moment and inform the king of the truth.

Though he may not have liked Jareth personally, Hoggle knew that they both needed to be with each other. Sarah needed him more then ever, as the shock settled in and she lost the will to speak somewhere during the night as Hoggle helped her. He noticed the change instantly. Her green eyes lost their shine and she spoke only in soft crumbling sighs that broke into whispers too soft to be heard.

So, while Sarah slept, he snuck through the mirror, his mind set on appearing in the King's room. He stepped through the mirror frame and smiled proudly having reached his destination. He saw on the bed the figure of Jareth, lying with his face toward the ceiling, watching nothing in the crystals above him.

"Jareth." Hoggle said. "The little lady needs you."

Jareth looked at him. His eyes were stormy and forbidding, but Hoggle was no longer afraid of the Fae man as he had once been. He explained what Sarah had told him.

"I am sorry, Hoggle." He said. "But Irvus was right, I am a monster and I never told her. I cannot bear to have to be with her and know that I am keeping this from her."

"You told me you never lied to her." Hoggle said.

"I never did," He sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "It was never mentioned during our time together. I am not a terrible villain," Jareth sighed. "But I have a dark past."

"Yous were young," Hoggle said. "You couldn't do nothing about it. Your powers were too great."

Jareth gave him an oddly delicate smile. "Do you think if I told her that she would forgive me…Hogbrain?" He raised an eyebrow at the old nickname.

Hoggle rolled his eyes. "It's Sarah, she loves you. I think you gots a good chance."

Jareth nodded hopefully and followed Hoggle through the frame of the mirror back to Sarah's room. Seeing her beaten and small and weak almost made him scream but Jareth contained his anger for Sarah rolled over in her sleep and moaned his name. At first he thought she was dreaming but her tear-filled eyes were open and her small hand reached out to him. He grasped it quickly and drew it to his mouth.

"Oh, precious," He sighed. "Sarah, I need to tell you something I have kept from you." He turned to look at Hoggle but he found the dwarf had already gone back through the mirror.

Her hand moved to his face and she turned it back to hers. "Not now, love," She whispered. "Please save it for morning I just want my Jareth with me tonight. Nothing more." She moved over in the bed to give him room to lay with her.

He stripped down to his pants and lifted the sheet to join her. Holding her in his arms that night was like an untouchable blessing that slipped into his grasp. They had made it, through Hell, quite literally. Now all that was left was the final trust, he would share everything he had tried to keep inside with her. He had nothing to fear. He slept peacefully.


	6. Chapter 6 The Lost and the Lonely

Chapter 6: The lost and the lonely

The morning light that woke them was pearly and cold. Their hearts were beating wearily, their eyes fogged with sad love. Arms in arms they shared the chill; her open window let winter wind in. They'd been in Hell for almost a month, by now the Fae blood he had given her had faded and she was once again herself, and winter had come, full blast. Outside frost decorated the window, glittering in the sun's glow.

Sarah laid across his chest, Jareth played with her hair for a while, humming low and deep. She could feel the sound rumbling deep within him, like his own kind of magic pulsing with his blood and his voice. She hummed along when she could place the melody. After a while, when the cold was too sharp to bear Jareth stood and shut the window.

He turned to look to Sarah and he picked her up. "I need to tell you everything I've done."

She nodded. He put her down. She went to her closet and came out dressed in a pair of jeans and a baggy white T-shirt.

"Okay," She said. "Tell me."

"It may be easier," He whispered and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "If I just show you."

She frowned slightly. Jareth cupped her face in his hands and leaned down to kiss her. But this time when their lips met the world flashed too bright for her to see. She could still feel his mouth, his body against hers but it was a distant sensation that she couldn't feel directly. Then the world shattered around her and she could see Underground. It was only the Labyrinth of course, the only bit of Underground she knew, but it began to change, the landscape turned a very bright, crayon green, the great maze turned to a maze of foliage, like an extensive garden maze. The castle in the far grounds was many sizes larger then his castle, made of dark stone with tall towers. She was blown on the wind toward this castle, and beneath her the High City of Underground was hushed, no citizen stirred from their homes and the brave ones who did only watched the castle with a dreading fear in their eyes.

"What's going on?" She whispered. She was blown speedily toward the castle and she recognized what it was that was terrifying them. From every window and every door she could see the floating remains of magic. It sunk from the castle like blood from a dying animal, every orifice leaking with it. But it was not a healthy magic, it smelled like blood, fogged the air and clung to everything, leaving its thick residue everywhere.

She was tugged by an unnamable force into the castle through a tower window, and she soared unseen like an apparition through the halls. She could tell she was coming close to the source of the magic when the dispensed deposit grew thicker in the air where even her spirit struggled through it. She came to a tower room; the door was locked with many padlocks. But she just flew through it.

Once in the room she was witness to one of the most terrifying scenes she had ever seen. The stone walls were blood streaked; there were no windows to shed light in the room, only a torch in the corner of the room that shed a harsh yellow glow over the only person in the room. This person was laying on the floor, covered in blood, and layer upon layer of strange dark music. He hardly moved, and any of the small movements he did make sent spirals of stray poisoned magic everywhere, sporadically bouncing off the walls, trying to escape. She focused on the hazy details of the man the magic surrounding him making it difficult to tell. But as she moved closer, she saw the strong features, the smirk of a mouth, though it was now drooping and weak, and the rest of his features were without his ordinary luster. Jareth was much younger it seemed, not nearly as confident as he should have been. Sarah's ghostly form hovered delicately above him, watching as he sat, in a reposed silence. He coughed and the sound shocked her, she gasped unintentionally.

"Who's there?" His wide eyes glittered but the glow was sickly and he gazed about the room around him. She had never seen him so terrified. He thrashed at the air with an arm that was shackled to chains that ran in circles around his feet. He came nearly very close to Sarah.

"Jareth, don't be afraid, it's me." She whispered, hardly certain he could even hear her. She was after all only looking at the past wasn't she? The brush of his fingers across her legs proved she was indeed somehow in the past, and she was as tangible to it as it was to her.

"I can hardly see you, whoever you are anyway." He grumbled and his arms ceased their flailing and dropped to his sides. It was a defeating stance that made Sarah almost angry; Jareth was never one to give in to defeat.

"I am Sarah," She said, for the moment able to calm her irritation to kneel down beside him. "Sarah Williams." She held out her hand to shake his.

He stared at it for a moment, an expression that was beyond unreadable on his face. She titled her head and waited until his hand tentatively grasped hers. His touch was gentle, quivering, and very warm. Alarmingly warm, she realized. She moved to put her hand on his forehead and he jumped backwards, nearly colliding with the stone wall. But he calmed instantly when her hand rested on his forehead.

"You have a fever!" She said, her tone making him wince. "Sorry dear." She said, her voice automatically softening to a tone that an infant could be lulled to sleep with.

He was watching her with that look she couldn't decipher again, intently, like she was some strange angel that appeared out of nowhere.

_You did appear out of nowhere you big dummy._ She thought and mentally kicked herself silly.

"Where did you come from?" He asked.

_Honesty? Or misty gibberish fun talk to make him think you're super magical?_ Sarah smiled slightly. "The future." She said. Honesty out-ruled magical awesomeness.

"Ah," He sighed a little. He still hadn't let go of her hand. "That's why you aren't afraid of me."

"Oh believe me, I'm afraid of you, but not in the way you're thinking." She said and laughed.

"I don't follow."

"I didn't lead."

He frowned, either quite confused or very, very irritated.

She found herself wiping the damp hair out of his eyes, smiling gently, an unconscious reaction to loving him.

"Why are you here?" He asked her, the grip on her hand was growing stronger.

"I came to see your past, you didn't have the right words to explain whatever mistake you made so you sent me here…I am not exactly sure how." She said.

"Why would I ever want to tell a child like you what I have done?" He asked, his voice growing stronger, his features developing strength as well which pleased Sarah.

"I'm not a child Jareth," She said and moved her free hand to touch his lips still when he began to protest. "And," Her courage almost scampered away to hide but she caught it and bound it fast to her heart. "I love you." She leaned forward and kissed him, gently.

When she pulled away she gasped. Jareth's eyes had watered over, ready to burst and flood with tears. She had never seen him cry before.

"What is it?" She said frantically. "Have I done something wrong?"

He looked up at her and between the rivers of tears on his face she saw a smile break through. But it was a broken smile, full of hurt and loss and longing that needed to be quenched.

"How…" He gasped and cleared his throat. "How could you love me? After a murdered half of an entire kingdom?" He got up on his knees so he towered over her. "How can you not be horrified by me? Hate me child! Hate me for what I have done!" He grasped the sides of her arms; she gasped but did not cower from him even as his face leaned in close to hers, his eyes dangerous and animalistic.

"Jareth, how did you kill half the kingdom?" Her tone was soft, questioning, and unafraid.

He paused and shook his head, still clutching her close to him. "Because of this curse," He spat. "My blasted magic being too strong. I got angry child, when I am angry I am not a Fae you want to toil with." His threat was dark and honest but Sarah was too comfortable with him and burst out in little giggles and said.

"You're not nearly as frightening when you're angry as when you are horny." She blushed a little. "But Jareth, why are you in chains?"

"Why should I answer you? You are not taking me seriously." But he did not drop her arms and he must have seen the insistency in her eyes because he continued. "I have uncontrollable magic, child, something you may not be able to recognize." She ignored the sneer in his voice. "And I exploded one evening three years ago at a party. My magic went everywhere, destroying everything in its path leaving nothing to live, only dust and scattered bones." His words had gone ominously quiet. "I tried to escape to solitude, but my father found me and trapped me here, in this stinking palace to rot." He finally released her and se fell back unbalanced, hitting the stone wall.

He meanwhile had curled up in a strange squatting ball of Fae and chains, hardly visible beneath the layers of manacles. She heard him sigh and she let out a breath she did not know she was holding.

"They trapped you here to control your magic?" She said.

"No," He smirked and laughed loudly. "They trapped me here to try and contain it, no one can control it."

"Is it an evil magic?"

"Only the Devil and his son can have evil magic…what was your name? Sarah?"

She nodded. Her heart had done a fearful dance at the mention of the devil, but his smile proved a sweet distraction.

He whispered something; she listened closely when he whispered again. "Sarah…what a precious child."

She smiled. "You know Jareth," He looked up at her. "We all make mistakes. To sin is to be human, to forgive divine, and forgiving yourself is even more beautiful." She stood and walked across to him. She laid a hand on his shoulder, leaning down to kiss his cheek then she stepped away and was swept off again, feeling the world coming back to her. Feeling Jareth's lips falling from hers as she re-entered the world she came from, the _time_ she came from.

Jareth held her while she slept. She was still in the past, the return a much longer process then the arrival. He had patience now, enough to wait a thousand years for her to be born, to grow, to learn everything she needed to. Not long after Sarah ad visited him in his vision, what he now realized was truly Sarah, not just a mirage; he was freed from his imprisonment from the tower. Something had changed in him that day, which had enabled him to contain all the sporadic forces of his magic and gain the ability to control it. With this talent there came the gift of creation and the Labyrinth was formed from this new found creativity. All were in the pursuit of worthiness for a dream-girl he never truly thought existed, an angel of mercy that had come to him in his darkest hour and blessed him with a winged creature called hope.

She stirred on his chest, but only drifted back into sleep, soft sleep that made his heart dance a speed to quick to measure then silence and fade into the spaces of feeling and infinite desires too sweet to sate. He waited for her to wake.

Sarah sighed. Sleep, she wanted more sleep, hours more, days more. But then a little voice inside her said: _Jareth is here_, and sleep became unimportant. It took her a moment of mind-clearing, sleep-dust brushing away to realize that Jareth was _not_ there. She didn't dare open her eyes, and cursed herself for moving on the cold stone floor.

"I know you're awake." Irvus's voice was near her ear and her eyes opened. He stood straight and walked a few spaces away. She could hardly see him, cloaked as he was in the darkness. His form became a gloomy silhouette, barely accentuated by the dim red haze.

"That was cruel," She croaked. She could see and hear that he was breathing heavily, his body quivering with tension.

"After all that." He said. "After all that, you heard his damnable mistakes his murderous ways and you still loved him." He turned and Sarah thought she could hear the grind of his sharp teeth. He stood over her, a wide darkness she could see no detail from.

"After that, you still couldn't love me." His voice was like a child's, sad, desolate and empty. Sarah had never heard such bitterly agonized words before come from the mouth of such a cruel creature. But she would not let her pity sway her intentions. Or her love.

"Where is my family?" She managed to whisper. She tried to push herself up off of the ground and found she was not only weighted down by her bone snapping weakness but by a soft black gown. Beneath it she could feel a corset, tighter then most she'd ever worn and a few layers of undergarments. Against all her hatred for Hell and its ways, she had to admit the dress was lovely.

Irvus snorted. "Your family and the dwarf creature are all back and safe where they live. They have no memory of you."

Her heart lifted at the knowledge of their safety, only to drop many fathoms into woe at the idea that they no longer knew her. Even dear Hoggle and little Toby.

"Jareth?" This whisper was dry, without conviction, only pure fear.

Irvus hissed a sound that scared Sarah. It was a sound that only an animal could make. The 'animal' moved slightly downward 'til he was squatting beside her. At this distance the details of his face became clearer and something very deep in Sarah's heart broke at the sight. It was tortured.

She raised a hand, slowly, like you would raise a hand to pet a terrified kitten with sharp teeth. She laid it gently on his face and he leaned into her hand, burrowing his nose a bit in her palm to smell the heavenly scent of her skin.

"Why?" He whispered against her wrist where the blood could be seen grayish blue in the light. "Why do I need _you_? Why must I be evil and love one so…pure?"

She raised another hand to cup his other cheek and she held his face in the only light of the room and looked at him. Not only did she see his strong features, his perfect masculine jaw, his dark ocean eyes, but she saw the slash of agony that was his mouth, the crinkled bent lines of his eyebrows, the depths of years that lay _in_ the waters of his eyes. It was strange and frightening. There was a pungent love in his face, a tingle of indefinably sweet emotions that she could see him struggling to contain. She sighed.

He echoed the sound. "I know that," His words were almost gasps, a fumbling of arrangements that blurred together. "I know that you will never love me. I am the child of evil and I know that no love can ever be felt for me. I however have loved others before. The Fae law doesn't affect me."

"Law?" Sarah asked.

"Perhaps law is not the proper word," His voice had grown lower, with a hint of husky tones as he mesmerized himself with the scent of her hands. "It is a natural disability for all the Fae, they can only love a creature romantically once in their lives. For me there was another, but my love faded in time as I saw that she was what others claimed her to be; a monster. In a way, I suppose I still love her. But… Since I saw you, I knew you would be the one I was to steal away." He paused and she could feel his jaw clench. Suddenly he placed his hands on hers and removed them from his face and let them fall free to her lap.

"I…will never ask you to love me. I'm selfish and evil. I will have you Sarah Williams. Regardless of your feelings and any objections thrown at me." His tone changed back to something much crisper and crueler then what she had heard before. She wondered then who it was he also loved, then a name, a face came to her and she saw in her mind what very well could save her. But there was ne more question to be asked.

"Irvus," She began. "Where is Jareth?"

Irvus did not hiss this time, he only smiled darkly, his eyes a guarded hurricane of shadows. "He is trapped," He said. "In a place one may call Limbo."

A solitary tear betrayed her and fell to the floor. Sarah felt her world crumble inside. Every tower of hope she had built for a life with Jareth, happiness in Underground, a family even was felled, all at the hand of a devil who seemed to be more then what he appeared to be. She laid herself back down on the stone floor and cried. Irvus vanished into the air and she was left alone.

Stay tuned to see what happens in: (Yet to be named) part two of Hell's Fire. Coming soon.

-Virgin Queen


End file.
